A wonderful new phrase is about to enter the popular vocabulary. It will become office argot.

It is so cynical, so contemporary, I predict it will be widely used at work wherever ambitious young turks are out to discredit their seniors.

The crushing, pejorative phrase is "tainted by experience".

It is perfect for an age in which such doubtful qualities as glitz, appearance, spin, presentation and the word "new" are all-important. Any people who are exceptionally good at their jobs, who have real expertise bolstered by long-term experience can be said to be tainted by that experience.

To the best of my knowledge, it has so far only been used to describe one person - Sir John Drummond. Sir John is a brilliant arts administrator. He has been director of the Edinburgh Festival, director of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall and controller of BBC Radio 3.

The insult was thrown by an arrogant young brat, hired as a consultant by the then director-general of the BBC, John (now Lord) Birt.

It is unlikely that the irritated minion had any idea that the phrase would quickly develop a life of its own. But Sir John was able to convert his own anger at the attack into humour. First there was a "Tainted By Experience" T-shirt which he designed and wore with pride.

Now he has written his autobiography, Tainted By Experience, to be published next month. He has already created a furore at the Edinburgh Book Festival by making a fierce attack on Tony Blair and the Cabinet for being "professional Philistines".

He derided the Prime Minister as a man who had probably not savoured any literature since reading Ivanhoe as a child.

He said the Government had no arts policy so there was no national sense of culture. Even the Culture Secretary, Chris Smith, was savaged for his constant references to the "culture industry" and pretending that the arts were in good shape while theatres were closing down, orchestras were under threat and companies struggled to pay a decent wage to actors and musicians.

It all had that marvellous ring of truth. No such eminent arts figure has publicly berated a government for failing to support the arts properly since Sir Peter Hall leaped on to his now infamous coffee table at the National Theatre in 1987.

In front of a roomful of critics and arts correspondents, he reviled Margaret Thatcher for her uncaring attitude and refusal to acknowledge the needs of the arts.

At the time Sir Peter was the director of the National Theatre, and before that the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is a magnificent example of someone the Birtist brat would also dismiss as being hopelessly tainted by experience.

If someone is ever kind enough to say that about me I shall order my T-shirt immediately. But on second thoughts, perhaps not. I shall be a true 21st Century man and have it tattooed across my backside!