Getting the point

Two offerings in the Sundays on the <a href="http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2009/02/breath-of-fresh-air.html" target="_blank">continuing discussion</a> of Mr Cameron's loss make an interesting contrast. One is from Matthew d'Ancona in The Sunday Telegraph and the other is from Peter Hitchens in The Mail on Sunday. I will not trouble you with the former, other than to note that its vacuous drivel serves only as a counterpoint to the robust and sensible piece from Hitchens, who absolutely and completely gets the point. He writes that was "struck by the coincidence" between the death of Ivan Cameron and the four soldiers killed in Afghanistan.

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A breath of fresh air

After our attempt, Charles Moore takes the subject head on.

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How about it Mr Brown?

Three soldiers in The Rifles have today been reported killed in Afghanistan. Early indications are that they were killed by an IED while riding in a Land Rover Wimik. Now, let’s see. You were prepared to suspend parliament until 12.30 today over the death of a six-year-old child, for whom you bear no responsibility. The death of these three, the children now of three grieving parents, is partly your responsibility. Your government sent them to their deaths in equipment which is not even fit for a scrap heap.

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Not a national tragedy

We were not going to comment about the tragedy that has hit the Cameron family. The death of a child is always terrible and one can feel nothing but sympathy for David and Samantha Cameron at this time.

However, the death of six-year old Ivan is not a national tragedy. This needs to be said before the country is overwhelmed with the kind of sentimental schlock that paralyzes all public activity.

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'Good day to bury bad news' though so to speak. Mandelson's brought forward the Post Office Bill. Hmm wonder why that is. Labour never changes does it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7910876.stm

Would we notice any difference if they shut parliament permanently?

Very little indeed, and if they are going to use public resources for this self-indulgence, they might as well give up and let someone else take up the slack. Next thing you know, they'll be mourning when Clegg's budgie dies.

Oh! Come on!
Let's do the Diana thing again...we are so good at that sort of thing!

(My condolences to the Cameron family...bad things happen.)

I'm not unsympathetic but if David Cameron expected this then he expected it...such is life.
He can have a day off but I'm not happy there wasn't anyone there to replace him...What's Hague for?
Personally I don't think it's up to the PM to offer to not be questioned either....WTF is that all about....it's the other way round!

Yes I pity David Cameron but his personal life has sweet FA to do with the country ( or our murdered troops ).

Nuff said then. We know the score, their all in it together no messing and we're all looking like lemons by keeping on supporting them.

Shame for Cameron and his missus and nothing personal on that in my message.

No it doesn't. This smells of "being seen to do something", in order to deflect away from the natural sympathy vote Cameron will pick up......hopefully it will back fire enormously.

Helen's post makes it clear that Hague was prepared to stand in, which is right and proper. It would have also been right and proper for the prime minister to have offered the condolences of the House - and indeed the nation. But once you start going down the road of closing down Parliament for private tragedies, you have set an unfortunate precedent. Where does it all end? Should the House have been suspended during the Blitz, in memory of the thousands killed by the Nazi bombers? Should the House have been suspended because of the South Asian Tsumani? Or are we sending a message that politicians and their own are more important than other mere mortals?

Lara its a child that died not politics , anyone who comments on this tragedy is sick as a politacl drama , soliders choose this job no one forces them and they get paid a wage too fight for there country , how can anyone sleep or live with themselves using a child and a arugment for politics . sick sick sick

Nice anonymous comment - now put your name to it.

The death of a child is a private tragedy, with which we can and do have every sympathy. By suspending parliament, Brown and then Cameron have made it public. Private and public should not mix. Private lives and and the affairs of high public office MUST be kept separate. The tragedy affects the office holder, not the office. That is the point.

Lady, you are a child. This is a site for people who read what is written and then think about it, at least in theory. Since you consider emoting is an adequate substitute for rational thinking you may find you won't get the respect you'll be demanding.

im a child HAHAHAHA, why cause i care , makes no odds if its in the papers tele its a child who has died , i have family in this pointless war , unless u have dont comment on my post and call me a child

im not racist i just care , and i do read this site and agree with some point and disagree with other points ,

You're upset and you're not thinking straight.

im not upset , im annoyed that people use a baby dying to try and gain brownie points to get at the goverment , i agree brown is crap i agree too pull our lads out i agree with the huge amount of imagration in england , but what i wont agree is using a child to score points infct u dont score points as no one cares about this site , i just think a bit compassion would be nice , its not the babys fault its all over the news , when jade dies will people on this site care or not after all it will be on the news and papers mags ect ect .