Today’s Daily Telegraph had a story in which the BBC’s use of misleading footage of the Queen in a documentary trailer was described as “the so-called ‘Crowngate’ affair”.

By whom is it so called? Not by our readers, I reckon. Maybe by a few old-timers at the BBC and by headline writers lacking in originality. Headline writers who must be  puzzling the hell out of our younger readers.

A story about a burglary at a Washington office complex in 1972 grew into a wide-ranging scandal that culminated, two years later, in the resignation of President Nixon. The scandal was called Watergate and the stories were headlined Watergate because the office complex was called Watergate.

We’ve since had Irangate (or the Iran-Contra affair, in which the US sold weapons to Iran and diverted the funds to the Contras in Nicaragua); Dianagate and Camillagate (in which phone calls of members of the Royal Family were taped); Monicagate, Donnygate, Hansiegate and who knows how many other -gates. Thirty-five years on, it’s time we kicked the habit.