Despite

Despite. Great word.

You can substitute it for "because" in just about every pompous self-gratifying sentence and it works. Better.

I have been stuck in a meeting in which it has been explained to me that because of Health and Safety, because of the project da da da da, because of procurement efficiencies, because of this, because of that, our operation is functioning well. And I know, I know, that the word should have been "despite".

Our country is still functioning, after a fashion, because of 12 years of New Labour.

See how it works?

Despite.