Disgusted by David

This morning, I read this News of the World article that graphically details the horrific abuse inflicted upon Baby P. I challenge you to read it without tears coming to your eyes - it is truly harrowing.

Subsequently, I finally found time to watch the PMQ time exchange about it on Iain Dale's blog. It's interesting how differently people view the same footage. Bearing in mind I support neither the Tories nor Labour, I was horrified by what I saw to be David Cameron's grotesque attempts to make political capital out of the situation.

Gordon Brown's position was "The report is on our desk. It is a major priority. We will read it and comment on what needs to be done when we have the facts". This seemed reasonable to me. 

But this wasn't good enough for David Cameron. He continued going on and on, which sounded to me like an attempt to ramp up the political temperature. When Brown pointed this out, Cameron launched into a lengthy tirade of righteous indignation about Brown needing to retract the remark he had made about HIM. Yep, around half the exchange seemed to be David Cameron trying to make it all about David Cameron. 

It's interesting that Iain Dale had the opposite impression. I guess Iain knows the guy so judges the exchange by what might have been going through Cameron's mind at the time. Perhaps David Cameron did feel frustrated by Brown, making it a temper tantrum rather than something more machiavellian. If so, he should have listened to what Brown said before mouthing off. I would feel much safer in a world where I knew politicians engaged brain first, rather than switching off their ears and listening to their heart strings.