Campaigners cite Sex Pistols in defence of ‘B******s to Brexit’ stickers

Stickers bearing an uncensored version of the slogan ‘B******s to Brexit’ were spotted being worn by children at Sidmouth Folk Festival, drawing criticism of the campaign.

One man told the Herald he was forced into an awkward conversation with his grandson, while another asked whether campaigners 'intend to teach their children that swearing is an alternative to rational debate'.

A Devon for Europe spokesman said the only obscenity on the stickers was the word 'Brexit', but added that the group's policy was only to give the stickers to those under 16 with permission from their parents.

The spokesman said: "There is an obscenity on the stickers - Brexit.

"'B******s' was deemed not to be an obscenity by the courts in the Sex Pistols' album cover/title case.

"As an expression of disgust and fury, it works extremely well."

According to the Oxford dictionary the word is a 'British vulgar slang' for 'testicles', 'nonsense', 'rubbish' or a term used to express 'contempt or disagreement, or as an exclamation of annoyance'.

The spokesman said people are revolting against the 'anti-democtratic' Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his special adviser, Dominic Cummings, adding: "Their contempt for Parliamentary sovereignty is about as obscene as it gets."

Mr S Harvey, 63, of Howard Close, wrote to the Herald saying he thought the campaigners should have expressed their views in a different way.

He wrote: "The usual menace on the seafront and surrounding areas this folk week was not the usual culprit being the seagull swooping down to take anything that slightly resembled food from your hand, no it was people sticking yellow stickers on anything that moved (including a dog) with a certain word that many old and young found very offensive.

"My grandson asked me its meaning and, as not being able to find the answer in the Oxford dictionary, I explained to him in the best way that I could."

Ken Warren, of Stowbrook, wrote to the Herald saying that 'shamefully' some people had put the stickers on their children.

"Did they expect those with a contrary opinion to be won over by a swear word?" he asked.

"Do they intend to teach their children that swearing is an alternative to rational debate? Do they imagine they are excused adherence to social niceties, being intellectually superior to the masses, who obviously did not understand what they were voting for? Or, more likely, do they just need to grow up?"