David Cameron's conference speech - live stream from 11.15am today

[JaneGMumsnet]

Hello,

David Cameron's conservative party conference speech will be live streamed here at 11.15am today, if you're interested in taking a look:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19890459

MNHQ

[ttosca]

Oh yes... 'tough' choices... mmm... ... tough on the public, easy on the rich.

[BridgetBidet]

No. If he hadn't mentioned his child I wouldn't have called him cold hearted. I don't expect politicians to reference their personal lives in their speeches and would prefer if they didn't.

I happen to be of the opinion that Gordon Brown was the worst PM we've ever had but to his credit despite him being in dire straits politically he didn't wheel out the dead baby or harp on about Fraser's illness at his party conference did he?

[DesertOrchid]

Politics aside I think it is absolutely despicable to use a phrase like 'wheeling out the dead baby' in ANY circumstances about ANY person.

To suggest that someone uses a reference to their deceased child for political leverage is a very strong accusation, and to use the kind of phraseology above calls into question not only the judgement of the person using it but their general moral worth.

There are many politicians I distrust and do not like. Name-calling and offensive jibes I consider inappropriate for grown-up political debate.

[BridgetBidet]

*Edit, sorry just googled and he did give an interview to Piers Morgan before the election when he did just that. But whoever it is from I don't like it.

[BridgetBidet]

I will say again, I disagree, I think that turn of phrase illustrates perfectly the cynicism involved in using his child in that way. You can be as sanctimonious as you want but to me that's a strategy of trying to minimise the unpleasantness of what Cameron did by blaming me for saying it rather than him for doing it.

[NanaNina]

GO Ttosca go - I agree with you wholeheartedly but haven't the emotional energy required to argue with tories. I did hear that DC wanted all children to have the same oppotunities as his children. That shouldn't be a problem, make all parents millionaires -job done.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

You think the only way a child gets an opportunity is if they're the offspring of millionaires? Does that mean - assuming you're not a millionaire and assuming you have DCs - that you think they might as well not bother trying & just give up now, because they're automatically going to be a big failure?

[ttosca]

You think the only way a child gets an opportunity is if they're the offspring of millionaires? hmm Does that mean - assuming you're not a millionaire and assuming you have DCs - that you think they might as well not bother trying & just give up now, because they're automatically going to be a big failure?

If Cameron and the Tory party get their way, then certainly.

[chipstick10]

My brilliant children, whose parents are not millionaires both educated in a state school, who worked hard to get to uni, who both came away with first class and high 2 1 degrees, are certainly not big failures. They are the children DC was talking about.

[BridgetBidet]

Would they have been able to go if they'd had to pay £30,000 tuition fees? I don't see how plunging the children of poorer parents into huge debt if they want a good education is offering the opportunity for all?

Certainly not going to help them with saving up a deposit to get on the ol' housing ladder he's banging on about is it?

[ttosca]

Great username, BridgetBidet. ;)

[domesticgodless]

Good for you, chipstick. I guess you are proud to have climbed
The ladder and then seen it get kicked away from the rest of the people at the bottom.

The Tories do not want there to be state schools or affordable higher education for much longer. And you support them. Looks as if your grandchildren won't be as lucky as your children were. Hope you're fine with that.

Oh, and the fact that they won't have a health service to rely on either.

[apollyg]

The benefit bill increases and the tax revenue plummet - David should does not avoid this issue so the poor have to pay not the rich- hence 10 bill benefit cuts.
The ending of Housing Benefit to under 25s is ill-conceived-
What about disabled young adults? What about care leavers?
What about young parents? It is pointless empty words. This will lead to damaging legal action based on human rights violation---I am so sorry for all this mess- march on 20.10.12

[MadameCastafiore]

FFS 'poor', hands up who is really poor rather than having to go back to living on what they earn rather than relying on handouts by way of certain credits from the government.

[chipstick10]

Thanks domestic i am very proud of my children and their achievements.

[domesticgodless]

You are poor if you cannot live on what you earn. A private rented house in my crappy area of se London costs 1500 a month. I can afford to live here only because I have a rich ex husband. A property company owns the house, is letting it go relatively uncared for and is
Making a lovely profit out of myself and ex h.

I do not understand how normal middle earning families are supposed to live for as long as we lack affordable housing. I am fine as I've said. If I had to live on what I earn the kids and I would be in a 1 bed flat.

[domesticgodless]

Oh and btw I'm in a job which 15 or so years ago would have been considered comfortably middle class.

[domesticgodless]

I think you should indeed be proud chipstick- but I think their achievements have clearly been partly achieved through state aid in the form of education expenditure which you are now happy to see withdrawn from future generations, and that is not something to be proud of.

[claig]

Cameron is accused of being an out-of-touch toff who is privileged and has never faced hardship. But that is not true, his money and background don't make him immune to suffering. I think he mentioned his disabled son who died young and his father who had no heels and who had his legs amputated, partly to show that he does know about disability and that he is not a heartless uncaring person.

The Tory scum and heartless image that is painted of Tories is a caricature and a cheap trick used by political opponents who are often just as privileged.

[claig]

domestic, I am against tuition fees and would like free university education like they have in Scotland, as far as I understand.

But let's not kid ourselves that this is just a Tory policy. It was New Labour who introduced tuition fees, and I don't believe that they would have kept them at their figure of £3000 per annum. They "are all in it together", this policy has long been planned and the yah boo antics are just a charade.

[filetheflightoffancy]

I agree that DC's experience of having a disabled child is not the same as many people's all over the country - he would have never had to worry about respite care or money or not being able to work because you have to look after your disabled child or any of the things that 'ordinary' people have to worry about.

However the 'wheeling out the dead baby' comment is fucking vile and you should be ashamed of yourself. Ivan was his son and he was talking about him in the context of how the paralympics has changed the way many people see disability.

The lengths that some people will stoop in order to get their hatred of the tories across is astonishing.

[ttosca]

You're such a sucker, claig.

[claig]

Well it's better than being a f*er

[Katiebeau]

The Cameron's have experienced the emotional hurt of loosing their child and dealing with his severe disabilities. They relied on the NHS. Why is it ever OK to minimise their suffering because they are rich which is really what some posters are saying.

Why, given everyone knows about Ivan, do people think Cameron has never suffered grief in his life just because he's rich? Talk about inverted snobbery. It's disgusting to read.

Rubbish speech but he's not an evil person just because he believes in a small state sector versus private sector. That's politics not morality.

I am not a fan but all of you posting "rich fuckers" comments take a look to see who's really killing aspiration in the UK.