To think that if you can't remember to take your 8 year old home from the pub then you can't be trusted to run the country?

[PrettyPrinceofParties]

www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jun/11/david-cameron-daughter-behind-pub?newsfeed=true

Ah well, at least she wasn't left under a bridge at 3.30am hundreds of miles from home, like the government treats other peoples children.

He may be PM but he's human as is SamCam, they were in a big group, it shouldn't have happened but it did. Can't get frothed about it.

I'd be more worried about the security implications TBH & I bet the air was thick with WTF??????'s once she was back safe. The men who talk to their sleeves slipped up

Anybody who says this wouldn't happen to them is kidding themselves. It hasn't happened to me yet but there's still time....

My dd1 got lost in Waitrose. I had to make an announcement to find her. She is 14!

The Camerons were using two cars because Dave's protection won't fit in a car with a family of 5 plus if he travels seperately he reduces the chance of the wife and kids being blown up in an assassination attempt. It must have been a horrible moment when they realised they didn't have her. Remember these are parents who have lived through a bereavement. I don't like Dave's politics but I think it's bloody shabby to call his and Samantha's parenting in to question.
All those who are being smug and self righteous should be ashamed of themselves. This is a political story using a minor personal event. It's the lowest of the low.

I have to disagree with posters claiming it is easily done, it's not. I've never forgot my dc, I wouldn't just assume they were with the other parent and leave without a quick double check.

Why did they go to the pub in 2 cars? Wth was he in with bodyguards? Why not go in one car as a family and then children wouldn't be misplaced. Yes I still stand by what I say: two parents who care about themselves and not their children.

My DDs are older now, but when they were younger I was always chuffed with myself that I hadn't accidently left them somewhere, or forgotten to pick them up. I was convinced I'd do it one day.

I did forget the dog last week. Got half way down the road driving to the kennels, then realised the dog was still at home. Just pleased I didn't get all the way there before remembering.

More to the point, the article says he "drove back to the pub"... I do hope he wasn't under the influence of alcohol. Now that would be a story.

I just hate the fact that he has time and money to go for a pub lunch.

fothergill - what a twatty thing to say. why shouldn't he have a trip to the pub with his family on a weekend?

Can't stand DC and his party but haven't most parents done similar?

Our twins were only a few weeks old and on our first visit to the inlaws spent hours packing the car with the mountains of stuff newborn twins need.As we congratulated ourselves on getting the packing on time we sailed down the road leaving 2 rock a tots containing said newborn twins on the doorstep.

Then there was the time in some medieval town in France we got back to the car only to find one of said 3 year twins(Out n About Nipper in our defense which had very deep seats and a buggy board on the back for dd 2 too) had got out of the buggy whilst we were chatting outside a shop and not got back in.

15 frantic minutes(the most hideous of my life) later we found him outside the toyshop he jumped out to inspect.

We lost same twin very briefly in The Science Museum in London a year later. Some kids dream,get caught up in the moment.At 8 you'd kind of think a child would organise themselves when everybody leaves.2 of mine would but errr 1 not so much,makes him all the more lovable.

I was a teacher and took classes of kids all over the place with no mishap. Sometimes when you've got a lot on your mind(I'm hoping DC actually has and with 3 under 4 traveling through France we certainly did) and you relax the clutter in your mind doesn't go away and you're more likely to screw up.I think in 18 years it's to be expected to be frank for all of us let alone somebody running the country.

Just shows he might actually be human after all.Nah maybe not!

You hate the fact he has time and money to go for a pub lunch?

A pub lunch?!? Its not exactly a 20 course banquet is it?

Far be it from me to defend David Cameron, but I did feel for them this morning.

It's bad enough losing sight of a child for a few minutes for us plebs, but for someone in their shoes - people who are kidnapping targets - it must have been absolutely terrifying.

Their daughter is 8, not 3, and it's perfectly reasonable to expect that a child of 8 would alert a parent before going to the loo right before everyone was about to leave. I'm not blaming her btw; I'm just saying that it's usual to be somewhat less helicoptery over an 8yo than a toddler.

Having said that, it's pretty shit that their security people weren't aware. I imagine that's one reason why the story was buried - people tend to keep security breaches quiet (and with good reason).

Rainydaysarebad

You stand by what you say: two parents who care about themselves and not their children.
I will stand by my view that it is sanctimonious butt guff.

So you hate anyone who spends time with their children doing something that costs then fothergill

'Yes I still stand by what I say: two parents who care about themselves and not their children.'

And you'd say that to their faces would you?

That is a completely unfair and indeed deeply unpleasant assessment of the Camerons.

I agree with Northern. Whether you like his politics or not (I don't), they are real people, real parents and have gone through the hell of a bereavement for their child, ver publically. I will never forget the photo of SamCam, that the papers so kindly published on the day Ivan died. That poor woman. There was a mix up over travel arrangements after their pub lunch. Big deal. I think people on here maybe need to stop being quite so judgemental - judge their politics, by all means, but get off their case as parents.

What a ridiculous fuss about nothing.

butt guff

Oh please, I'm no fan of DC but parents do sometimes fuck up.

If any of the MN regulars posted somehting similar we'd all be hooting and pointing out that no harm done.

Trying to score political capital is pathetic.

And yes I think lambast their security not them. Maybe they were off duty with organising their kids so to speak and somebody else was in charge,even if this wasn't the case we all screw up at times. Anybody who hasn't momentarily lost a kid lucky you but many,many have. It's really not that unusual,well amongst my friends it isn't.

not easily done

if you are with your kids anywhere, for us anyhow, their whereabouts come first

he's an idiot - anything could have happened to her, possible kidnap/ransom?

and worse on daily mail for now telling the world where he goes for a quiet pub lunch

time for him to wake up and stop trying so hard to be normal - he needs to be a leader with a leader's lifestyle, not a regular guy at all - he's the PRIME MINISTER ffs

Hexenbiest

Enjoy. Then await the moment when you are tired and your eldery mum is staying and you have a headache and think DH calls 'I'll take DS1 and DD' but he actually calls I'll take Ds1, you take DD...

You will feel it all the keener. Especially knowing the woman on mn will be sitting and knitting....

#Justine on Radio4 just now.. go Justine!

Ah, there are so many of us! We need a roll call I think :)