That's telling her!

I don't think a five year old child should be encouraged to rant in a finger wagging way to the Prime Minister.

It's Mrs May to a small child, not Theresa.

Nothing wrong with a little respect and a few good manners no matter what her parent's think of TM's politics.

She asked her mother if the queen was 'in charge' and her mother told her it was the Prime Minister, Theresa May. What is wrong with calling her Theresa May? Nobody says Mrs May

And are you suggesting that a 5-year old should not have her questions answered truthfulły merlor ? I can well imagine the discussion in the car on their way home about what she had seen and why.

Like many I'm not happy that this went viral, but apart from that I'm pleased she was sufficiently concerned to question her mother.

Anyway I've spent too long on GN so

Of course her questions should be answered truthfully. I didn't suggest otherwise.

I agree this shouldn't have gone viral. It's never a good idea to exploit a child.

I agree with merlotgran, there's an element of disrespect here with the finger wagging and the use of the Christian name. Kids will soon be starting letters with "Dear Nicholas" to Father Christmas!
I'm not comfortable with the video being on social media either. It's over rehearsed and she is being prompted in several occasions. Why would parents want to display their little one like this?

As with the vast majority of YouTube type videos I expect the intention was for it to go viral. After all, how many of us actually have our iPhone's activated to record our grandchildren, cats, dogs et al at the drop of a hat? Cynical, political and manipulative IMO. I confess to not having watched it, as I don't ever get sucked into this brainless type of emotional blackmail. I never watch videos of cats playing in cardboard boxes either

Of course the intention was for it to go viral willsmadnan . It was deliberately set up and posted in order to attract media attention. I could have set up/filmed/posted hundreds of recordings of my 3 DGC. Some funny, some serious. But I never would. I agree that it is brainless emotional blackmail set up by parents who should know better than to exploit their 5 year old child.

I think all the nasty/angry comments about this little girl just shows how ignorant people really are . Would these same people be venting there spleen if she was criticizing a different political party - I doubt it . Teresa May is Maggie Thatcher on steroids , a thoroughly unpleasant `lady` who is now pretending to be on the side of the working class for votes .

My post has nothing to do with political affiliation, f77ms

I do not like small children being exploited.

I think you've missed the point, f77ms. I for one would feel exactly the same if the child was admonishing Jeremy Corbyn for not doing enough about the homeless problem.

And of course, it's all Theresa May's fault . At least the child is only a child. There are older people with the same immature outlook.

This post doesn't say anything about my political leanings either. I know some people make assumptions

1. Her use of the word millions is clearly child-speak for lots - all my GC do this.
2. Her passion on the subject is laudable - it does not sound contrived to me.
3. No 5 year old could be persuaded to stand up and speak with such passion if they did not want to.
4. Her logic and grasp of the subtleties of the issue are clearly those of a 5 year old - one would expect nothing else.
5. Should she have been filmed? Should it have gone up on Youtube? Both debatable I think.

Exploitation of a small child, presumably to air the parents' political views.

I don't think 'Theresa' is at all like 'Margaret'.

Luckygirl - did you never watch the little girl on "Outnumbered?" Her lines were unscripted but she had been given the subject matter on which to improvise and she just had to act with passion. Very successfully too.
I've watched many a young child deliver a presentation at school and like the one in the video they are following eye and gesture instructions from the onlooker. I doubt very much whether at the end thia young one would have linked homelessness to rules (laws) by herself. Chocolate biscuits maybe!
No nasty, angry comments on this thread, just perceptive opinions.

That lass on Outnumbered made the show - she was brilliant.

I'd seen this before and must admit I felt quite uncomfortable about a 5 year old propounding such views - even though I have sympathy with what she said. When we went to the Science Museum recently my granddaughter also asked why people were sleeping on the streets and we talked about it in general terms. I don't like Theresa May but she and the Conservative Party alone cannot be blamed for such things - governments are voted for by the people. My granddaughter is a fairly confident and articulate little girl but I can't imagine her, at the age of 6, being able to put together such a speech without some prompting - and, even if she could and it was completely spontaneous, I would not put it on YouTube.

I feel equally uncomfortable about children being taken out of classrooms to go and wave flags at the Queen or having to repeat oaths in order to join the brownies/cubs - even if they are keen to do so.

Anya

In response to your post to myself , yes I did read your post.

I ' did not ' say there wasn't a problem but I was pointing out the fact if you bring politics into it and blame only one person or party then it is politicising and frankly opens up to scrutiny. . Leamington Spa is not particularly any different to many UK towns and cities but I repeat people are 'sleeping rough' for many reasons and perhaps it would be wise to tell the child so. Did the parents explain the complications to the 5 year old? or perhaps that doesn't fit the remit of the intended video, who knows?

We will view the video differently , simply that.

No matter how much anybody will assume it is because Theresa May has been mentioned I feel that way but I assure you are way off course in your thinking but no doubt I could shout from the roof top and not believed. It could have been Corbyn, Brown, Blair , Clegg, Fallon it matters not one jot as to the way I think.

Never mind.

I don't think promising to do one's best to uphold scout values, do one's duty and help people is an oath. It's a suitable promise for a child to make and a good standard (doing their best) for them to aim at.

members.scouts.org.uk/fundamentals/?pageid=2944

I have just caught up and should point out that I used the word precocious before gillybob did and I still think that is the case. Sorry gilly if you caught flak I should have had.

thatbags

An oath is defined as A "solemn promise". The scouts now have to make this promise:

On my honour, I promise that I will do my best
To uphold our Scout values, to do my duty to the Queen,
To help other people
And to keep the Scout Law.

I don't have much of an issue with this but, as a republican, I am not very happy about children being forced to promise to "do their duty to the Queen" if they wish to join the cubs. It used to be "God and the Queen" (whatever that means) but "God" has been removed. My son wanted to join the cubs and we didn't feel we should stop him. He didn't like it anyway as the woman who ran it (I don't know what she's called) shouted a lot and my son's friend left, followed a few weeks later by my son.

It can be interpreted, eloethan. One can define "duty to the Queen" in various ways, including for it to mean duty to one's country, which means obeying the law, basically. That is, in fact, how all the adult scouts I knew, including me, interpreted it. I was among those who campaigned to get the god bit dropped so that atheists could be scouts. Until a few years ago they couldn't. People who have religious faith can still include the god bit.

The Girl Guide Association was a few years ahead of the Scout Assoc.

It's okay annsixty I don't mind..... I'm used to it but your post is much appreciated.

I agree thatbags my DGD (8) is a Brownie and her Brownie "Promise" is very similar to the scouts promise. No longer any mention of God and although I would rather there were no mention of HRH either I would never say that to DGD .But hey ho you can't have it all .

It looked to me that the Mother had taught the child to say this off by heart, to me this seems like a total set up.