cakeism

English

Etymology

From cake +‎ -ism, referring to have one's cake and eat it too.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkeɪkɪzəm/

Noun

cakeism (uncountable)

1. (UK politics) The doctrine of having one's cake and eating it too, particularly regarding the UK’s approach to Brexit negotiations and subsequent deliberations.
   • 2017, The New European, "The delusions of Cakeism", Bonnie Greer, 15 September 2017

     What is now known as “cakeism” – the idea that the UK can have everything it wants merely because it wants it – is becoming, like climate-change denial, the subject of rational discussion.

   • 2018, The Guardian, "David Davis's petulant leaked letter is the latest slice of Brexit cakeism", Jonathan Lis, 10 January 2018

     The letter is the latest blatant example of British cakeism.

   • 2021, The Guardian, "The dishonesty of Boris Johnson has finally infected the entire government", Jonathan Freedland, 19 November 2021

     The government has adopted Johnson's notorious attitude to cake – wanting to have it and to eat it – and made cakeism its defining creed.

   • 2021, The Guardian, "The Tories said we could have our cake and eat it – now they are stuffed and voters are hungry", Rafael Behr, 22 December 2021

     Cakeism is not a formula that works in government because, in reality, the cake has to be rationed and people notice.

   • 2022, The Guardian, "Brexit legacy is just the start of incoming PM's problems as cost of living crisis spirals", Will Hutton, 10 July 2022

     "Cakeism" has run riot — vast, incoherent ambitions detached from political, economic and business realities.

Related terms

• cakeist