`Blairism' fails Oxford entrance

Oxford - The latest offerings to join the English language include white-van man, frankenfood and cyber-squatting, according …

Oxford - The latest offerings to join the English language include white-van man, frankenfood and cyber-squatting, according to a new edition of the Oxford dictionary.

While combat trousers and WAP phones are two more of 67 new words to have been included in the dictionary, there is as yet no room for Blairism.

Compilers of the dictionary say the word, stemming from the Prime Minister, Mr Blair, must first pass the test of time and not just be a passing fashion. Other words queuing up to join the 145,000 current listing include superwaif, fashion icon and bindhi (a stick-on face jewel).

The publishers monitor television, radio, newspapers and magazines to determine which words are now used in every day English conversations.