I am livid after reading this report on Metro.

It seems that we cannot use some words in the English language without being blamed for being offensive, because there are other meanings for those words.

English, and indeed all languages, have words that have multiple meanings (which is a rich source of humour), but now we can't use the word in its original meaning because there now exist alternative meanings? This is nonsense!

The report on Metro is about a pub in called "The Black Bitch" in Linlithgow, Scotland. The brewery has applied to change the name because "it is offensive". The pub is named to commemorate a famous local dog, a female greyhound with a black coat; there is even a statue of said dog in the town. The name "The Black Bitch" is perfectly correct and accurately descriptive, and is not insulting to anyone; local people seem to agree, and in a town of 13,000 inhabitants 11,000 have signed a petition to stop the name change. The natives of Linlithgow are proud to be known as “Black Bitches”. It is clear from the pub sign, which depicts a black dog, that the name refers to a black female dog.

The brewery, Greene King, has previously changed the names of several pubs because of supposed racism, including three pubs called "The Black Boy" and one called "The Black’s Head"; it seems that they have a particular problem with the word black. They are seeing prejudice where none exists.

Where will this cult of woke-ism and political correctness end? Soon we may no longer be able to use:

• Essex girl to refer to a girl from Essex, because it can also be used to refer to a girl of loose morals;

Tart to refer to a pie without a pastry lid, because it can also mean a prostitute;

Pig or hog to refer to a swine, because it can also mean someone who is greedy;

Knob to refer to a handle or control device, because it can also mean a penis;

Prick to refer to a mark or hole made by a pointed instrument, because it can also mean a penis;

Because of the huge differences in how English is used in different parts of the world, there terms that are considered non-PC is some regions, but are standard, correct, perfectly PC, and even official in others. The obvious example are "black" and "coloured", which in South Africa respectively mean African, and Indian/Pakistani or mixed race, but in America are considered non-PC.

Things used to be very different. In the UK, the word Tory is often used to refer to the member or supporter of the Conservative Party, but originally it was an insulting name applied to that party, meaning outlaw or robber. I don't hear of any movement to stamp out the use of this once insulting nickname.

Thankfully, political correctness is not taking hold in Germany. Nouns which refer to people are still used in male and female forms: Artz and Ärtzin (doctor), Assistent and Assistentin, etc. There is no hesitance in using the word Schwarz (black) to refer to people. I hope that doesn't change.

Unfortunately, it is too late for the English language. Words that are tainted by any hint of prejudice cannot safely be used without a backlash and the risk of "cancellation". People are far more worried about political correctness than the use of proper grammar, punctuation and spelling.