Don’t call it sleaze, call it corruption – why scandal haunts Boris Johnson’s government

From contracts for mates to flat makeovers and illicit parties, barely a day passes without a crisis at No 10. But using the tabloid language of the 90s doesn't scratch the surface of this government's sins

Think of bonking. Not the activity, but the word. As a shorthand for sex, it was popularised, if not invented, by the tabloid press in the 90s - back then, Bonking Boris" referred to a former Wimbledon champion rather than a future prime minister. You can see why it appealed. Bonking" slipped easily under the bar prohibiting expletives in family newspapers; it sounded fun rather than pornographic. It was clear and direct, yet had all the advantages of euphemism.

Now think of sleaze. As it happens, that word performed a similar role in the same period. It could be hurled at politicians - specifically the Conservative government of John Major - relatively free of legal risk. You could say an MP or minister was mired in sleaze" without having to prove that they had broken a specific law. It was handy.