A WOKE council has banned its staff from calling simple tasks “a piece of cake” — because it could confuse foreign employees.
Diversity executives reckon the phrase excludes people whose first language is not English.
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The classic British idiom has been declared off-limits in Surrey Council’s eight-page inclusive language guide.
It states: “Avoid using phrases that people may not understand if English isn’t their first language.”
Another section says the term “dinner ladies” should be outlawed.
The guide says “it is preferable to use gender-neutral language” in case anyone should be offended and suggests “lunchtime supervisor” should be the term used for servers, cooks and cashiers.
“Firefighter” is also recommended instead of “fireman”.
Accounts filed earlier this year showed the council was borrowing around £1.1billion.
Former minister Sir Alec Shelbrooke said: “Once again, this is a colossal waste of public time and money which should be spent on working out how to deliver services to residents.
“This does nothing to help further their services.
“I’m stunned by how bad this guide is.
“No wonder the council is in so much debt when their staff, apparently, can’t even understand basic English.”
Earlier this year we told how Sunderland Council planned to ban “working class” before U-turning when we intervened.
Surrey County Council was asked to comment.
