Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, is drawing up proposals to reform the teaching of English in state schools so that every child masters the essential skills of reading, writing in an effort to promote the 'three R's'.

Presumably this is the wisdom behind the increasing inability of BBC reporters and announcers to pronounce their R's, and subverting our beautiful mother-tongue with 'Secatwee of the Enviwoment' and 'wowwying twends'

I'm not mocking folk with genuine speech impediment, which is neither a cause for embarrassment or shame; but rather the wilful oozing of deliberate mispronunciations into our language via supposed pillars of the establishment in the media, as if it is in any way progressive and correct.

Ignorance comes in many forms and creeps amongst us disguised as authority waiting to pounce on our trusting minds.