Im still surprised that this has got less coverage than diane abbots quotes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16458524

cameron is quite plainly using a mental disability as a playground insult

how has he got away with it, yet abbot gets a pasting for her stupid comment that offended no one
while our PM can be as nasty as he likes – even making the same empty apology.. “if ive offended anyone…”

because most of the press are tory supporters, the left know Cameron is a bigot as it is so obvious, the right hate people like Abbot so much they will make mountains out of molehills.

Camerons tourettes jibe worse than abbots race comments?

No.

I think it’s clear that CallmeDave has some severe social disabilities.

Nah.. just stupid, ill-informed and thoughtless. Like many people, but I’d hope for better in a leader.

Comparisons are odious both comments were just stupid and thoughtless

Not exactly ideal, was it, but not quite on the same level.

“It is a lesson for me that in the Commons I have to try and tune out the noise and just concentrate on trying to answer the question,” he added

funny that, as PM he should surely be setting an example on how to do the job? if only the public could issue him a written warning like any other employer

Mods – the swear filter doesn’t work on the tags but it won’t let me type ******* ****

He hasn’t got away with it. He was forced to make an apology same way Dianne Abbot was.

Besides, we all suffer from Tourettes to a greater or lesser extent. This forum is full of people who can’t help but blurt profanities out.

Love the tourrettes tag 😀

I hate the shiny-faced twit, but if he just said “Sorry for the offence – clearly I don’t know enough about this issue, and would welcome some education” I wouldn’t have a problem.

Storm in a teacup. I’d rather we badgered our leaders about the important issues of state, rather than trivial nonsense like this.

“Middle aged man in not necessarily understanding the full impact of a condition he has no personal knowledge of and therefore talking like a lot of people would with no malice intended” shocker!

I’d hope for better in a leader.

In what way is he actually a ‘leader’?

Convenient little puppet stooge for the real string-pullers…

It wasn’t the most politic remark to make but I do worry about discourse in these times being characterized by everybody ‘taking offence’ and fainting like Victorian spinsters at the mention of something controversial or ‘inappropriate’.

I thought it was quite funny.

I do worry about discourse in these times being characterized by everybody ‘taking offence’ and fainting like Victorian spinsters at the mention of something controversial or ‘inappropriate’

Exactly.

i get the storm in a teacup point but why did abbot get blasted about hers and dave ooze his way out of it

id also like it mps put less effort into name calling, punch n judy politics etc

#
TandemJeremy – Member

because most of the press are tory supporters, the left know Cameron is a bigot as it is so obvious, the right hate people like Abbot so much they will make mountains out of molehills.

Thats why

I’d rather we badgered our leaders about the important issues of state, rather than trivial nonsense like this.

+1 this.
I’d rather judge someone on their actions.
The media tell you to be bothered about this, so you’re bothered about it? You are Emu and the media is Rod Hull.
Cameron is still a **** though.

i get the storm in a teacup point but why did abbot get blasted about hers and dave ooze his way out of it

I think because Abbot was making a serious point in an area where she is seen as important (i.e. race relations) and should therefore know the impact of her words, whereas CallMeDave was simply making a not-too-clever off the cuff remark.

bit slack, but suppose quite a normal comment to make, bet most on here have made comments of a similar nature…

and not as if DC is without understanding about disabilities etc – not than long ago that Ivan his disabled son died…

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04n199D92k8[/video]

his off the cuff remark was durin an interview live on telly or to go ut as live…not really off the cuff was it
TBH I dont think either were that big a deal but it does highlight the difference

Can i have odds on Cpat reading this but posting up nothing as he just cannot bring himself to say anything bad abut this lot ?

This forum is full of people who can’t help but blurt profanities out.

Bollox

“I was speaking off the cuff and if I offended anyone, I am very sorry,” he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr.

What surprised me is that he said he wasn’t intending to cause offence….which is surely exactly[/i] what he was trying to do.

Cameron says nothing off the cuff. He is a PR man thru and thru. Everything is scripted and planned

I think David Cameron will know more about caring for people with handicaps, mental, physical or otherwise, than most of the people clamoring for his blood here.

The guy lost his son for crying out loud, a son who suffered from Cerebral Palsy and very severe form of epilepsy. He cared for him for six years before his death.

Really I think you should wind your necks in a little. None of you can teach him anything about care giving or loss unless you’ve been through something similar yourselves.

What surprised me is that he said he wasn’t intending to cause offence….which is surely exactly what he was trying to do.

no the forum has spoke offence is taken it is never given
of course it was meant to be offensive to ed balls but not to the sufferers

EIDT: whislt i dont doubt he loved his own child [ who doesn’t?]and i dont want to do this over this issue. However I am pretty sure lots of us could teach him about caring for the wider community.

Best to keep the debate rational rather thna emotive

actual LOL at that Leona video

geetee 1972….well said, Cameron’s detractors conveniently forget about that when trying to paint him as some uncaring ogre.

None of you can teach him anything about care giving or loss unless you’ve been through something similar yourselves

i completely agree however who on earth was trying to teach him those points on this thread?

OK I am biased, I like the guy and I can accept that other people don’t like him because of his policies.

But I doubt there are many on the opposite side of the house that would accuse him of being anything other than the leader of the Conservatives and therefore pursuing Tory policies.

Not liking those and not liking the person leading them are two different things.

geetee 1972….well said, Cameron’s detractors conveniently forget about that when trying to paint him as some uncaring ogre.

Erm, no. His detractors are saying that he’s been a bit of a plonker on this issue.

Calm down dear……

😆

Cameron says nothing off the cuff. He is a PR man thru and thru. Everything is scripted and planned

Oh come on TJ, I expected better of you. Of course it isn’t. You’re telling me he sat with his advisors pre-interview and worked out a Tourettes-based answer to any possible questions about Ed Balls? Of course he didn’t. He was asked a question, he gave a fairly honest answer regarding how he finds PMQs difficult (and he should find it difficult, that’s the point) and accompanied it with what he thought would be a mildly amusing quip.

I’m sure Ed Balls couldn’t give a to$$

All this ‘taking offence’ is amazingly narcissistic – we’re so self absorbed with our own feelings – like children who must be prevented from upset and insulated from other peoples views. I consider it creeping linguistic fascism. If we’re not careful all communications will be rendered inexpressive, banal & stilted. Yes our sensibilities will be unruffled, but Jesus wept it will be boring.

Irrespective of his policies, I guess Cameron of all people knows of the reality of caring for a disabled child.

Cameron says nothing off the cuff. He is a PR man thru and thru. Everything is scripted and planned

Finally, TJ and I can agree on something 😯

he’s been waiting for this opportunity for a while 😀

political genius move this – Who is ever going to be able to take blinky Balls seriously without thinking about this bloke:

(Sweary warning)

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPWGvpZCih0[/video]

I feel the need to post this again

Read and inwardly digest. Please!

so whats an ok disabilty to use to describe someone

if tourettes is fine,
spastic?
mongloid?

surely cameron should know better than anyone that using a disability to call someone names is wrong

surely cameron should know better than anyone that using a disability to call someone names is wrong

Well, some of us thought describing white people in a derogatory manner was racist, but aparrently we were wrong…

Cameron took the opportunity that was created by Labour’s ridiculous defence of Abbots comments and struck home – Labour can’t complain about camerons “off the cuff” comment being offensive, as everyone just point as Diane Abbots comment and calls them hypocrites

Political genius!