There’s a tradition in British intellectual life of mocking any non-political force that gets involved in politics, especially within the sphere of the arts and the theatre.

Pinter is criticizing a recurring British cultural reflex: when artists or other “non-political” figures speak on public affairs, they are often treated as naïve, meddlesome, or illegitimate participants. By pointing to the arts and theatre in particular, he highlights how creative work is frequently expected to remain “above” politics—an expectation that can function as a form of social discipline, keeping dissenting voices in their professional lane. The quote also implies that mockery is not merely personal ridicule but an intellectual posture that polices boundaries around who is allowed to speak authoritatively about power, policy, and moral responsibility.