TRYING to keep abreast of political correctness is no mean feat these days, in an age when some people are ready to be outraged at the drop of a hat.

Take David Barlow's comment to the full city council about his party's nomination for deputy Mayor, Nazrul Islam.

Coun Mary Drinkwater had already been picked as the First Citizen. Coun Barlow felt it would be a progressive move to have "one pink, one brown" as the Mayor and deputy Mayor.

There were chuckles in the chamber as he said it, not least from Coun Islam.

The only thing that Coun Islam seemed bothered about was not being selected as the deputy Mayor, which left him enraged.

Actually it seems that nobody these days has qualms about references to "brown" people. Worcestershire Racial Equality Council reminded me that the word "black" was derogatory 30 or 40 years ago, but has now become a perfectly acceptable term.

The same appears to be true of "brown".

"Like the word black it can be used in a negative way, but it can also be a positive phrase now," said WREC director Waqar Azmi.

"If David Barlow had intended something negative by what he said we would have been concerned, however."

The phrase "coloured" remains distinctly taboo, although African Americans seem content with the description "people of colour". Who knows if it might make a comeback in 20 years' time?

Labour's publicity machine wasn't bothered by Coun Barlow's remark either - although the party's regional Press officer quickly tipped off the councillor that I had made inquiries about Labour's stance about racial terms.

However, I couldn't help thinking that if someone from the Tory ranks - especially former colonial tea planter Robert Rowden - had said something about "brown" people, there would have been howls of protest from Labour.