Metaphors

Enjoyed listening to Tony Benn on Radio 4 yesterday, talking about the book published (today) of great political speeches from Hansard. He described Members of Parliament as being “signposts or weathercocks”. The signposts take a view, based on their convictions and hold that view unerringly throughout their political lives, unless persuaded otherwise by events or logic. The weathercocks carefully listen to popular opinion – and then follow it – no matter how many times it changes.

I have absolutely no time for weathercocks.

Here, here. I have met a lot of dental weathercocks over the years – and a few signposts.