The get out clause

When listening to any politician it is always best to listen out for what they are not telling you, because the reality is that the politician is like a magician, it's all about misdirection.

Here's an example from Wednesdays Scottish Leaders debate.

Jim Murphy says Labour will "act on zero hour contracts", but he quickly realises he hasn't said the magic word and so he repeats "we will end those exploitative zero hour contracts"

But he's messed up the trick, he's revealed the misdirection, which is of course the word "exploitative".

Now everyone is meant to take the word as a description of zero hour contracts, and as they are exploitative, you naturally don't even blink at it's inclusion.

But here's where the magic is.

In this case "exploitative" is not a description, it's a get out clause!

What Jim is really saying is that some zero hours contracts are acceptable and it's only certain ones we would ban.

And of course if the magic works he goes unchallenged and we don't find out what is considered exploitative and what is acceptable until the policy is actually implemented.

Now remember that 62 Labour MPs currently employ people on zero hour contracts. I assume these then must be the fair and acceptable type - whatever that is.

So how about it Jim, tell us when are zero hour contract not "exploitative".