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Original poster

Sam Cam's refusal to move to Downing Street

65 replies

helyg · 22/05/2010 14:59

Now I know it is the Mirror, but apparently the security bill for this whim is going to cost £1m

Rather goes against her hubby's policies on spending cuts!

OP posts:
bobbiewickham · 22/05/2010 15:00

I see what you mean, but I can imagine it would be hard to move away from a house you brought your recently lost first born up in.

I can see both sides (as ever, removes splinter from arse)

sherby · 22/05/2010 15:01

jesus imagine being their neighbours, visitor and residents parking suspended

Original poster
helyg · 22/05/2010 15:05

I can see why it would be difficult to leave it, but they don't actually have to sell it do they? They will still need a house when he isn't PM anyomre. And if they weren't living in then they wouldn't need the extra security.

OP posts:
bobbiewickham · 22/05/2010 15:06

Is the taxpayer footing the bill for the security, or are they paying for it themselves?

nighbynight · 22/05/2010 15:10

She wants to delay moving there until after her baby's born, according to the Mirror.
She is probably not used to the idea of having a new baby in a cramped flat above the shop.

Original poster
helyg · 22/05/2010 15:13

Public money according to The Mirror.

I think if they were paying the bill themselves then it would be up to them, but if it is public money then it seems a tad unreasonable given the current financial climate!

OP posts:
Northernlurker · 22/05/2010 15:17

It's not a cramped flat - the living space in number 11 was big enough for 4 Blair kids. It's got a garden too - and bullet proof glass

Original poster
helyg · 22/05/2010 15:21

Exactly. Now I'm no huge fan of Cherie Blair, but she seemed to manage OK!

OP posts:
InThisSequinBraYesYouOlaJordan · 22/05/2010 15:28

Cherie Blair was in, I think, Grazia this week, talking about what life for the Camerons would be like right now, and she said initially, she had thought she would stay at home in Islington given the size of the accomodation in Downing Street. But, she realised that the impact on her neighbours would be too huge, and once she'd been papped getting flowers in her nightie the day after the election, she realised Downing Street was the only sensible option.

I think that the Camerons should foot the bill themselves, if there's a viable option available to them; bit late to be complaining about the house now, even I knew it was a bit poky, it can't be news to them that they would have to move. Otherwise, all these cuts could be seen to be to fund their security.

BitOfFunInTheQuattro · 22/05/2010 15:31

Ridiculous and selfish. They should be setting an example against the culture of entitlement they bang on about.

Ripeberry · 22/05/2010 15:33

Oh give her a break, she has pregnancy hormones and is attached to her house. She'll move once the baby is born.

nighbynight · 22/05/2010 15:36

I think they are just not used to having to compromise on their living standard. I am not meaning that nastily, but they've always had a good enough house, so moving into a flat probably looks like hardship.

BitOfFunInTheQuattro · 22/05/2010 15:37

She still has a brain though, presumably, and must be aware how dreadfully arrogant it makes them both look.

Unless they foot the bill themselves, and personally beg all their neighbours for forgiveness, they are totally out of order. The Hammy One has been trying to get into Downing Street for years now- they must have seen this coming.

Northernlurker · 22/05/2010 15:38

Right of course - because after a baby is born is the best time to move and she's got to lift all the boxes herself?

Meglet · 22/05/2010 15:42

When I've seen their house on TV it always looks bright and modern, at least they can open the doors and let the kids go outside. They couldn't do that in a top floor flat could they. My house is pocket sized but at least the dc's can run in and out and I can see / hear them all the time.

But, in general I agree that it's tough and they should move.

mamatomany · 22/05/2010 15:47

Maybe she wants to make sure this is a permanent move/job before she packs up the crystal, can't blame her really.

nighbynight · 22/05/2010 15:54

Nothings permanent in politics - thats the nature of the job. Id move there like a shot, perhaps they could sub-let it to me instead.

teaandcakeplease · 22/05/2010 16:00

I "think" I'll take the Mirror article with a pinch of salt...

In one fell swoop by saying "she's dragging her heels" they've put a spin on the article that I suspect isn't entirely true. It's 4 months they claim until she moves. Let's see when an official statement is released by Downing Street, what the truth really is...

I admit if I was a resident having parking suspended would be rather annoying...

I don't want to jump conclusions based on this article just yet. I would like to think that the Cam's wouldn't want a £1m bill to tax payer right now. As David is a PR man and will know exactly what people would think of that, I like to believe.

Original poster
helyg · 23/05/2010 08:37

Ut's not just the Mirror. The Times reported similar on their front page yesterday, I can't find the link but they said that she was resisting moving to no. 10 for another 4 months, and that this was going to cost the tax payer lots of money.

OP posts:
wannaBe · 23/05/2010 09:05

well, the sad reality is that had their eldest child still been alive, a move to downing street would have been impossible anyway due to the adaptations which probably already exist in their current house. In fact I said this to dh long before all this came out - that if Ivan had been alive they probably would have had to stay in their current house. I wonder if the press would have been so quick to bring up the security bill then?

In fact that's almost certainly something that Sam Cameron has considered and that probably makes the move even harder for her given that, had fate not conspired against them, they wouldn't be moving.

Ponders · 23/05/2010 09:07

According to the DM they'll be moving this week

who knows....

"The cost of the No11 refurbishment work will be partly met from Government funds but, to avoid any suggestion that they are abusing the public purse, the Camerons will meet the rest of the cost themselves" (no figures given you notice!)

OrmRenewed · 23/05/2010 09:09

She needs to grow up. It's part of the job.

withorwithoutyou · 23/05/2010 09:11

I don't understand why they want to wait four months when they'll have another child and be even more cramped.

I would say it's got nothing to do with me, but there's a strong likelihood that I'll be made redundant soon as a result of DC's cuts in the public sector so I'm lacking in sympathy really.

Jux · 23/05/2010 09:25

I'm sure most the wives had a problem moving into that nasty little flat at Number 10 but them's the breaks. No sympathy at all. If she didn't want to live there, she didn't have to encourage hubby into the job.

No sympathies at all.

teaandcakeplease · 23/05/2010 09:42

I still think the media are twisting it. Yesterday they say 4 months now they say she will move in if the kitchen is renovated. I just think the media are twisting it and most of what they say is total bllcks about it all.