The word 'pettifogging' was today used in a House of Commons exchange on the new lockdown rules - but what does it mean?
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the new restrictions for England were “pettifogging” but not “malicious”, in response to criticism from a Conservative colleague.
Conservative former minister Sir Desmond Swayne, a critic of the Government’s lockdown plans, told the Commons: “Notwithstanding the assault on liberty and livelihoods, why are these regulations pervaded by a pettifogging malice?”
Responding, Mr Johnson said: “Pettifogging, yes. Malicious, no. The intention – and I’m going to have to take the hit here – the intention is to stop the virus, to protect the NHS and to save lives.”
The Cambridge Online Dictionary defines pettifogging as “rules or details (that) are too small and not important enough to give attention to”.
The Oxford Learners' Dictionary says it is: "Paying too much attention to unimportant details; connected with unimportant things."
Earlier, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Will he at the very least ensure that statutory sick pay is increased to £320 a week, that Universal Credit is not cut, the continuation of the protection of private tenancies goes on after the end of this lockdown and that, above all else, he ensures that every child in every school, and every student, has a chance to learn online?”
The Prime Minister replied: “I thank the right honourable gentleman seems to be recapitulating what his right honourable colleague (Sir Keir Starmer) has already asked me as though he was still doing his old job.”
