Redouble our efforts

[minestrone]

Just listened to Diana Johnson on Radio 4 trying to explain the drop in stats scores this year.

She used the phrase "redouble our efforts" 3 times.

So if they are going to redouble their efforts, does that mean they once thought doing 1/4 of what they are about to do to fix the issue was adequate?

[Mich the Tester]

Just listened to Diana Johnson on Radio 4 trying to explain the drop in stats scores this year.

She used the phrase "redouble our efforts" 3 times.

So if they are going to redouble their efforts, does that mean they once thought doing 1/4 of what they are about to do to fix the issue was adequate?

No. MPs are not so mathematically gifted as to know that doubling something means multilpying by two and redoubling means multiplying by two again; they certainly would not deduce that a redoubling of efforts would effectively mean they'd started with 1/4 of the effort.

Unless, of course, we are discussing their ability to claim expenses, in which case any mortgage on a flat, house or stately home can be flipped, redoubled and doubly claimed, even though great great great grandfather Ffortescue-Smythe paid off the mortgage somewhere in the 19th century.

But of course, if she wanted to redouble the efforts three times she should be applauded as the final effort would be 16 times as much as in the beginning, and they'd have to hire a lot of contractors to do that.