In Gordon Brown's day, we would bear down on things we didn't like. Unemployment. Inflation. Corruption. Or we would drive things. The economy. Change. Progress.
They're super-active verbs. Politicians love them. Bearing down and driving are actions of strength. Ruggedness. Robustness. (Robust was an adjective they were very keen on, and I've already grizzled about that, but we'll stick to the verbs here). They're verbs of grim determination, too, which is what Gordon Brown was all about.
These verbs get picked-up by the followers, the sycophants, the unimaginative or lazy. Used so casually and so often, they become meaningless.
'Unlock' is the latest mot du jour. It's been flogged to death by the Tories. It implies there's something there to be let out, liberated, fulfilled. It's thrillingly positive. Something good is on the way. We have politicians running around unlocking this that and the other. Brexit would unlock Britain's potential in global markets. Housing development will unlock the value of agricultural land. HS2 will unlock Birmingham. Freeports will unlock the potential of rustbelt scrapyards. Schools targets will unlock the talents of millions of dim children.
More often than not, unlocking is an action you propose when you haven't any real good reason to do something, or you simply haven't a clue what the the outcomes of your proposed action will be.
It's exciting. Things that are locked-in, or locked-up, are either criminals or the things criminals want to steal. We have an excellent prisons policy which is so successful it's overflowing into hotels, campsites and caravan parks, with more ankle bracelets than a Milton Keynes disco ladies night. So, obviously, we're unlocking the good stuff, the great prizes, the huge rewards. Oh! They've been locked way for so long, everyone's forgotten all about them! It's like finding a fat roll of tenners down the back of the sofa!
Unlocking is the last resort of the desperate, which is probably why Tory MPs are instructed to use the word liberally and often.
Sunak to Braverman: Talk more about unlocking, will you? It's dynamic and positive, ad makes us look better than we really are.
Braverman to Sunak: Can't sweetie. I'm supposed to be locking up. People, mainly.
Sunak to Braverman: Try harder. How about 'locking people up will unlock the true potential of our Border Force to, er...'
Bravermam to Sunak: '...lock people up?' OK. Love it. Cool.
If a politician talks about unlocking something, they're either talking about flogging something at a knock-down price, or frantically trying to justify an insanely over-priced project. Often, it's just another word for plundering. But the inate ineptitude of politicians means it's most likely that once whatever it is is unlocked, there will be little, if anything, to show for it.
And some things, as Pandora will tell you, are better left locked.
