骨氣

自從英國首相卡梅倫 (David Cameron) 因脫歐公投結果而下台，我再無觀看英國國會每週的首相答問環節。無他，新首相文翠珊 (May Theresa) 橫看豎看亦非能言善辯之士，缺了精采的唇槍舌劍，談的又是人家的事，我等怠惰的中年阿叔自然興趣缺缺。

想不到日前偶爾再看，卻有驚喜。本月二日，率先質詢首相的，是工黨議員 Stephen Doughty。其發問如下：

We have no clarity on access to the single market,
huge disadvantages still in energy costs
and foreign steel being used in our key defence projects.
We know the prime minister likes to try to channel the iron lady,
but when is she going to show some mettle
in standing up for British-made steel?

最尾那句，說首相想請鐵娘子上身，卻無骨氣力撐國產鋼鐵，當中以和 "metal"（金屬）同音的 "mettle"（骨氣）一詞，前呼「鐵」娘子，後應國產「鋼」，用得比一般英語 word play 之中的雙關語 (double entendre) 更高竿，令人撃節讚賞。