Judges have been told to drop the term 'postman' for 'postal operative' under new guidelines designed to make UK courtrooms more 'gender-neutral'.
In a 566-page document, bosses at the Courts and Tribunal Judiciary also advised that women not be called 'ladies', as the term is considered patronising.
Critics have said the governing body should instead focus its efforts on tackling the current backlog of cases caused by the Covid pandemic, reported the Sun.
It comes as there are currently 60,000-plus cases waiting to be heard at crown courts across England and Wales.
Tory MP Nigel Mills said: 'This is just ridiculous. It is nonsense and bizarre.
'The priority shouldn't be this woke agenda, which doesn't work in the real world.
'It is a waste of time, effort and money better spent supporting the public.'
It comes after it was revealed in September how fed-up victims of crime are refusing to proceed with prosecutions in nearly a million cases as faith in the justice system dwindles.
Judges have been told to drop the term 'postman' for 'postal operative' under new guidelines designed to make UK courtrooms more 'gender-neutral' (file photo)
there are currently 60,000-plus cases waiting to be heard at crown courts across England and Wales
Figures revealed by the Mail on Sunday showed the number withdrawing cooperation has been rising year-on-year since 2014-15 when it accounted for just under seven per cent of all offences.
The level now stands at a staggering 21.8 per cent – or 945,000 cases – in the year to March 2021 for England and Wales.
Victims' groups have blamed the logjam in the courts system – which was already struggling before the pandemic.
While the crown court backlog stood at 37,000 cases before Covid-19, it reached 59,000 by July.
And there were almost 400,000 outstanding cases in the magistrates' court system.
