Simon Bourke: Robust discussions, holistic approaches, and how not to conflate an issue – the unofficial guide to government-speak in 2026

Have you ever had a ‘robust discussion’? I haven’t. The closest I’ve come was when I had to politely ask an upstairs neighbour to keep the noise down while I was trying to get some sleep. He was Spanish, you see, the neighbour, and anytime he invited a couple of friends over it sounded like the running of the bulls in Pamplona; complete with thundering footsteps, excited voices, and angry, frustrated bellows.