Farewell to Martin Cutts

We were sad to hear that Martin Cutts has passed away. He was an enormously influential figure in plain language and inspired and supported many people in the field. Martin dedicated his life to holding power to account and making society fairer by cutting through the fog of legalese — with the occasional side quest of taking on extortionate parking companies. His plain language activism began dramatically, when he set fire to HM Government legislation in front of the Houses of Parliament — an act he later urged others not to repeat. He went on to write The Oxford Guide to Plain English, an essential reference for writers that is also a pleasure to read, thanks to his trademark dry wit. Martin founded the Plain Language Commission and helped organisations across the UK communicate more cle