Today's cartoon by Peter Brookes from The Times plays on the idea of a hung parliament, which was the outcome of Thursday's UK general election, and people being literally hanged (not hung!). We see the three main party leaders (from left, David Cameron, Nick Clegg, and Gordon Brown) dangling on ropes from the branch of a tree. Each has a noose around his neck. They are all saying 'Let's talk ... '
EXPLANATION
The cartoonist could be suggesting that the leaders have been lynched by the voters. If an angry crowd of people lynch someone, they kill that person by hanging them, without letting them have a trial, because that person has committed a crime (e.g., expenses scandal). The irony is that it's only when they've been strung up that they agree to talk. Other interpretations are possible. If someone is left dangling, they are in a state of uncertainty. • The nation’s economic strategy was left dangling on Friday at a difficult time for world markets as politicians started to get to grips with the inconclusive election result. (FT)
VOCABULARY
The verb 'to hang' has two past participle forms: hanged and hung. According to some usage guides, we should make a distinction between hanged and hung: people are hanged; curtains, posters, etc., are hung. But not everyone agrees. See here and here, and here for more on this point. Does it really matter, you may ask. Well, some people feel very strongly about this sort of thing.
MORE CARTOONS
Dave Brown's cartoon in The Independent uses a similar idea relating to a hung parliament.
