Liberati

The Liberati are privileged folk who want their sexual or drug-abusing freedoms expanded regardless of the cost for vulnerable members of society.

Labour’s David Blunkett introduced the term ‘Liberati’ to the British public during a July 2004 Radio 4 interview. Mr Blunkett implied that The Liberati – a teasing conflation of libertine and (Valentino) Liberace – are those comfortably-off people who untroubled by experience of crime or loutishness resent all efforts to act against the dangers bedevilling the most vulnerable people in society (at least until they're mugged by reality).

In downgrading the illegal status of cannabis Mr Blunkett has not, however, been unknown to support causes championed by The Liberati. It is also true that he promises a lot more things likely to enrage The Liberati than he actually delivers.

William Hague once attacked a condescending liberal elite for their trendy views on immigration, drugs, crime and nationhood. The libertine Michael Portillo, then Mr Hague’s shadow chancellor, resented this attack and told a newspaper that he was a member of the liberal elite. Anti-abortion, anti-gay rights and tough-on-crime Ann Widdecombe, who sat alongside Mr P in Mr H’s shadow cabinet, can definitely be said not to be a member of The Liberati.