to think the Camerons are hypocrites?

[Pixel]

I've always had the utmost sympathy for them and what they went through in losing their eldest son, but Sam has made me very cross today. She's going on about how difficult it is caring for a disabled child and saying 'it pushes you to the limits of what you can cope with', yet the other day I saw this article. It says that the BBC has seen leaked documents showing that the Conservatives are planning to cut carer's allowance and disability benefits should they get re-elected.

Apparently it is a government adviser. I had to google it too.

I agree Applecross.

I know this isn't strictly relevant any more but here goes anyway

YABU calling pensions a benefit. My mum is 70 and only gave up work a couple of years ago after working full-time since the age of 14. She has more than paid her dues for the pittance she gets.

It's just something that really upsets my mum, being described as on benefits. And she is taxed too!

Pensions are a social security benefit paid, like other social security benefits, to those members of the system who are eligible. The same way a private income protection plan/long term sickness insurance policy will sometimes call your monthly check your "benefit", or when you sign up to a pet insurance policy, it tells you what your benefits include.

I suppose it's that people think that being "on benefits" is bad because they associate the term with those people who are eligible due to unemployment or illness and look down on those people. Although I'm sure your mum doesn't think like that - I get that she probably doesn't want to be associated with the societal stigma associated with being on benefits.

Won't sway my view and at least he actually uses the ants unlike labour and the champaign socialists who proport to love it run to bupa as fast as their little socialist feet can carry them

Somone son is dead I have no idea how that would hurt every aching moment of the day and night and how ever much money I had would negate the emotions of having a disabled son its yuk that people would imply if your weathly having a disabled child dosent effect the child and their family

Do you think people don't stare at disabled children because their parents have money or label the child just being naughty money may buy you a nights sleep with a night nurse but I can't fill the hole of knowing your child may never be married or have children or even see adulthood I wonder on the lady of his funnel sam thought well at least we have lots of money or do the unfeeling think she would of traded evey last pound in to not feel so much pain

I feel sorry for all political spouses - far too much intrusion these days.

It's hardly like the journalists forced their way into the Cameron's home unannounced. Media and politics have become intertwined.

I suppose it's that people think that being "on benefits" is bad because they associate the term with those people who are eligible due to unemployment or illness and look down on those people. Although I'm sure your mum doesn't think like that - I get that she probably doesn't want to be associated with the societal stigma associated with being on benefits.

It's not that. It's just she was brought up to think of national insurance as just that, a scheme where you pay in for a long time and then get help when you need it, not a 'handout' as the newspapers love to call benefits. She doesn't see why she should have to feel grateful for that or be seen as some kind of burden.

Just because the game is played this way now doesn't prove samcam or justine et al like it, or deserve everything they get in terms of comments.

its yuk that people would imply if your weathly having a disabled child dosent effect the child and their family (sic)
Nobody is implying that Poker, but what we are saying is that having wealth certainly makes some part of that easier. We are also saying the fact that they have been through what many of us go through, day and night, every day and night, without nurses or nannies, would perhaps have made for a government with a touch of empathy. We are upset and angry that we were lied to by Cameron, and that we were wrong. We had hoped that those of us who care without the advantages of wealth are still treated as little more than drones, we can't give up our caring duties to protest, and the government relies on that. By god, if we did the government would be down the tubes within 24 hours.

a scheme where you pay in for a long time and then get help when you need it

Yep, just like my contribution-based ESA, which apparently the Conservatives are considering doing away with altogether. It's a benefit, like the benefit payment my DP gets from his private income insurance policy.

not a 'handout' as the newspapers love to call benefits

So she doesn't have an issue with people saying she's on benefits, she has an issue with people saying it's a handout? Fair enough. I don't like people saying I'm on handouts either.

Apple, if they don't like it, then they don't put themselves in the line of political fire. Either they support what is going on or they stay away from the political campaigning.

I agree 99 however the stress from being poor on an already hideous and stressful situation is hideous. Having a nurse so you can get out and clear your head and have a breather, having ££ to simply go and get a nice hair cut, keep yourself feeling human when in the daily grind, a massage, a nice hand bag, a holiday! A small breather, someone to say - just watch for ten mins is all huge luxuries people at the coal face don't have.

Applecross - then they don't have to play the game, do they.

Apple cross you are being very naive. This is blatant electioneering. Many spin doctors and conservative advisors will have put alot of thought into this interview. It's sickening using a dead child to further your political career they have plumbed new depths. I thought better of Samantha Cameron than this. Any lean towards the conservatives I may have had has been quashed today.

Many older people (think 80+) make a very big distinction between National Insurance based benefits such as the pension, Sickness benefits and ESA and what used to be non-contributory benefits, which they see as stigmatised.

This distinction has now become much less clear.

Vitamints-I really hope they don't do away with ESA-its horrible to lose your job and would be worse if it immediately made you totally dependent on your partner. At least now there is some money for a few months.

I do believe that this is another thing that is being considered.

during the tv debate the other night I posted that I knew it wouldnt be long until C mentioned his son when he brought up the NHS, I was told off for saying this

this thread is like a breath of fresh air

I am not sure however Gordon Brown or his wife did much to make lives easier for those with disabled dc either though, they may not have mentioned them but sure as hell didnt campaign for other parents.

What is it with these threads? I hate this shit too. Fucking terrible

I have to agree with the OP. Of course it's to help her husband get another term in office. Same as him sitting there in the DM brushing his daughter's hair - ooh, look how ordinary we are, we're one of you. They're all doing it to an extent. Listen to any of the talking over the past few months you can tell whose vote they're targeting, you can tick them off. Cameron has done fuck all in office. Talking about chasing companies like Starbucks for tax. Why now and not 2 years ago?! He's already started privatising the NHS.

The Camerons rightly benefited from a huge amount of public support and sympathy when they lost their son.

However, exploiting that support and sympathy on the election trail is cynical and even, I think, rather immoral given the impact of many coalition policies on the severely disabled.

I see what you mean drudge (and thanks - I hope they don't do away with it too) - but I think it's odd how the word "benefit" has been so clearly linked to the noncontributory benefits and seen as something that people get handed out that they've done nothing to deserve, since presumably it's language that originates in insurance.

I seriously can't see anybody sitting in a room saying 'bring up the dead child, that plays really well when people talk about the nhs' to samcam. I just can't. I know we are supposed to think pols are scum but really. There are some lines that people still don't cross. But anyway we'll have to wait a few years for all the diaries to come out to find out...

Can anyone post any links to something that shows how the Camerons swayed voters due to their child dying? Or the Browns for that matter? Has anyone met someone in RL who changed their voting allegiance due to either of these families losing a child? I just can't believe people would do that, it makes no sense to me. Yet everyone is stating it like the absolute truth so can you back it up?

If she didn't talk about her son, she'd be branded as uncaring and cold. If she did, she'd be branded as using him.

Has she spoken about him publicly before? She's certainly never been personally criticised as either cold or using her child for personal advantage before, although Cameron has. The blatant timing of this interview is what sticks in people's craws.

Perhaps if the coalition's incompetence hadn't run the economy into the ground (national debt has rocketed to 80% GDP, from Labour's supposedly catastrophic 50% at the height of the crash, or borrowing more in 5 years than Labour borrowed in 13 so the deficit they claim to be cutting is their own out of control one, among other things), there wouldn't be any need for cuts.

But the cuts are purely ideological anyway. £12bn off welfare when only £5bn to be gained from tax evaders and avoiders? £5bn probably mainly from small businesses and sole traders who should, without doubt, pay the tax they owe, but likely leaving major culprits, eg some hedge funds, conveniently offshore registered businesses etc untouched?

I was sickened today to read the 10 page spread in You Magazine of the difficulties Sam Cam faced in raising Ivan. No doubt they did face difficulties regardless of their wealth year yet that she chose the run up to the election to discuss it makes me feel very angry. I despise the whole "my priority is looking after Dave and doing the school run" shite she trotted out. It is blatant electioneering and she should be ashamed. If she was working everyday to support parents in the same boat then fair enough but this article was totally geared towards your average Daily Fail reader arsehole. I wouldn't vote for her husband after this if he was the last politician, he'd use his son's disability to gain leverage. Knob.

That's it, carry on.

Were you going to vote Tory and have now changed you mind Wendied?