Cameron returns ... on fourth day (no hurry then)

[janelikesjam]

Am I Unreasonable to feel pissed off ... ?

If you are I am.

FGS. He set off after less than 48hrs of riots. It's not actually always a good thing when leaders respond too strongly to things - it can give credence to events and exacerbate things. He saw it was going into day three and arranged to come back.

And it is 2011, y'know. He'll have a phone!

No enjoy your hols whilst people lose their homes Dave!

Do you actually have any faith that he will do something useful?

Chinny, that's really childish.

We live in a mature sophisticated society, the Prime Minister won't actually be manning the police radio network. We have the Home Secretary, the Police Commissioner (Acting), London Councils, Bojo. A whole heap of people before you get to the PM who are well placed to sort this out.

The situation last night was better than Saturday, so it looked as though it might not run into a third night.

Politicians do have to take holidays as well.

Londons fucking burning, Birmingham's burning, Liverpool is kicking off. A riot has to go on for over 24 hours, approaching 48, before the Prime Minister thinks "best stop worrying about tipping Italian waitresses and get back to my desk". WHAT? When Cornwall flooded 8 months ago the great and the good started arriving in under 24 hours, that's arriving, not leaving London, arriving. But hey, London's rainy and Italy's nice eh, makes all the difference to how fast they can leave doesn't it.

Well, he doesn't have a crystal ball, so couldn't have predicted trouble on Saturday. The spread of lawlessness to new areas on Sunday couldn't really have been predicted either.

I've no idea what the police assessment was earlier today for trouble later on. I suppose, with hindsight, it might have been better if he'd come home earlier today rather than overnight.

But I think the decision about what time flight to get today is pretty much a sideshow compared to the importance of the substance of the issue, and that of decisions and actions over the next few days.

That's so weak.

Leaders don't want to be seen to undermine the people they leave in charge. And as I just said there is always the fear that over-reacting could pour petrol on a situation, giving it a credibility it shouldn't have.

exactly, Lemon. What both your posts said.

Two nights of serious rioting IS a police matter - who cares if a politician is on holiday.

Third night, with it spreading, starts to become something else.

Sorry my last post was to Saffron not Edith.

I agree re. substance of the issue Edith. But I do think you could predict it, has he got any political advisors? And phones apart, you need to be there.

I can't believe they thought saturday would be a one off. Piss poor leadership from all concerned IMO.

The emergency services are over-run and it's taken 3 days for them to decide to head home.

Meglet, it took less than 48hrs. You can complain that 48 wasn't fast enough, but you can't really call that three days.

Right wing Conservatives have been on Camerons case for months. He's an embarressment to the serious elements of the party.

Can't imagine he'll ever survive this latest mega PR gaffe.

Are you Camerons mum, Lemon? You seem blind to his faults.

its downright bloody disgusting is what it is.

Sat nite, Sun nite, Mon nite, Tues nite, um any mathematicians?

Seriously though I agree it is a piss-poor effort.

How an Old Etonian holidaying in Tuscany will relate to mass urban destruction as he steps off the plane will be interesting to say the least.

No, I'm not blind to his faults! I just don't think this is one of them. All leaders - of whatever political hue - have to know when to leave their deputies in charge. It's part of leadership.

And FGS, again, again, it IS 2011. He'll have had every kind of connectivity.

only comes back when a riot hits a tory area!!!!

I know what you are saying LemonDifficult, but the phone doesn't cut it, it looks seriously bad. You really have to be physically there.

Its not acceptable, and it looks bad for a reason.

How a rich a-hole can make this better eludes me!! Leave him in Tuscany..he could pay for the repairs from his tax free income! It's no wonder we are in this state..we are in the grip of finacial hardship yet goverened by those who have no experience of it

'only comes back when a riot hits a tory area!!!!'

Is Peckham quite right-wing then? I don't remember it that way but things may have changed.

This is lame. I'm not sure at what point you all think he should have teleported himself back but I do think that most of these posts are just, dunno, feeble. He gave those incharge a chance to be in charge, the situation worsened so he got on a plane. Jeez. There's quite a lot of debate worth having around Tory policy impact on the riots, but this isn't it.

Thou dost protest too much. lemon

Are you his mum??

There was a total cock up from the way the family were handled after the shooting onwards. On Saturday when the police could have acted they stood back and 'contained' whilst people were burnt out of their homes.

What was David Cameron doing on Sunday? This. Making nice with the waitress he failed to tip for the media.

yes, I am Mrs Cameron.

The only person in Britain who imagines that the people left in charge, when the Prime Minister goes on holiday, might be able to cope.

And I thank you all for your sweetly touching belief that all will improve once my boy touches down on British soil.

the riots have hit Croydon and Ealing - think they are tory areas!!!