changing places

Further to my Daily Mail post, I was reading a copy of The Times downstairs in the canteen just now and I noticed an odd-construction in one of their comment pieces; in the midst of an article defending the Pope from all those nasty feminists he so justly attacked last week (not literally - that's an interesting image), the characterisation runs something along the lines of "Islington based, Guardian reading, SUV-driving, career women and liberals". SUV-driving? Any readers of the Times out there? Do they normally add this to the normal anti-Guardian stereotype? Hmm.

Meanwhile, much Guardian reader-baiting over at Peter Cuthbertson's Conservative Commentary blog; where the term 'liberal' is used as a US style term of abuse. When Andrew tried to claim it back he was met with the following reply from one of the young tories who inhabit the comments boxes, looking for people to oppress: "If you are a small government, pluralistic, pro free market liberal (like me) you already have to qualify your liberalism by pointing that out, otherwise people assume you're just some morally limp, self righteous bedwetter who wants to let all the criminals out and give all our money to the chronically workshy. It's just easier to call yourself a conservative."

So now they're claiming the term 'liberal'! Where will it end...