The return of David Cameron

One thing I will say in Cameron’s favour, he understood the need to speak on behalf of the country in the face of tragic or difficult circumstances, and did so with appropriate dignity.

I’m afraid I still associate him with the more murky side of politics, Eg lobbying, so I don’t have much enthusiasm for his return to government.

Just seen a clip of him on tv from a few years back describing Gaza as an open prison (or something like that). And, as someone on Sky News just said we now look back with fondness for previous Conservative PM’s because the recent ones are so awful.

David Cameron's record in office was not very good with the referendum and the aftermath, encouraging links with China and austerity which has had profound effects on public services, and lead to the concept of 'broken Britain'. He was good on gay marriage.
Out of office he was following the money with very dubious lobbying activities. What he does have is a confident manner and an aura of a safe pair of hands. I have heard him recently referred to as a 'grown up in the room'
He has the patina of a public school education, he is self assured and passes that on giving an impression of competence when his actions in and out of office often belie that. He is an example of the benefits of a public school education, the contacts and the self entitled manner.

Wheniwasyourage

No he hasn’t or he wouldn’t have mismanaged the referendum in 2016 then taken his ball home when he didn’t like the result. Backbone, eh?

You are right - toys out of the pram and off he went. Who on earth made him a lord; they collect more in a day for dozing in the House of Lords than pensioners get in a week

For Frogoet. "Dead Babies"? Well, please send that thought to the leaders in Tehran, and Hamas, and ask what they thought Israel's response would be to killing some 850 citizens, almost entirely women and children, with well over 300 police or military killed too?

The attack was surely designed to get a retaliatory invasion, with catastrophic effects on normal Palestinians.

Iran has been running a proxy war in Yemen for years now with many thousands of MUSLIM fatalities -- anyone now calling for Israel to do things differently who hasn't been campaigning for peace in Yemen is a hypocrite. Have the same campaigners been protesting for 12+ years about the Russian and Assad inspired slaughter of innocent Syrians (mostly Muslims), somewhere between 300 and 500 THOUSAND so far? Or the ISIL massacres of tens of thousands of mostly Muslims in Iraq and Syria, plus the genocide of the harmless Yazidis? Thought not - hypocrites all.

So, Frogoet, how have your campaigns been going in those areas? That's the massacres and genocides conducted by Muslims, and Russia? Don't tell us you're not so bothered, it's only Israel being nasty that pushes your buttons?! Historically Judaism has caused less death and destruction than any other major faith (NB - I'm not religious!).

Oh, and for all who've followed the middle-eastern mess for decades now, no, there is no easy solution, and it'll carry on being a mess. Most of the countries detest Iran, whatever they say in public, and some had even been snuggling up to Israel (like Russia). The only longterm solution is to find a way to live together, as Jews and Arabs had done for 3000 years or so, or at least most of it. If anyone has a great plan for how to make that happen, get on TV, make yourself famous?!

Many a true word … 😁

"We don’t leave it to men to decide our fates. In many cases we have decided theirs"

Spades and patios jumped into my mind

I don’t know if Frogoet is male or female but they have a pretty low view of women of ‘our generation’. I guess they haven’t been on GN long enough to discover that there are, and have been in the past, some extremely intelligent women here who have had exacting professional careers and articulately debate all manner of things, including politics. We don’t leave it to men to decide our fates. In many cases we have decided theirs.

What a lot of new posters all of a sudden! 😲

Great - we need new posters with different ideas even if we don't always agree 🙂

Frogoet

Well it about sums up our generation that women don’t discuss Politics.
Perhaps if tgey did they’d
- understand Cameron’s perks including Greensill
- understand why women remain out of higher management and politics. They still leave it to the men to decide their fate.

Another mysoginistic post!!

Germanshepherdsmum

Why should they discuss politics with you if they don’t want to Frogoet? I also live in a Conservative stronghold and vote for that party in general elections but I don’t make a habit of getting into political discussions with neighbours unless I already know that their views chime with mine - it’s a guaranteed way of falling out. Strictly good friends and family only.

I think the only time I have ever discussed politics with neighbours was after the referendum on the EU.
Best left on a high shelf when having a gathering!

I live in a strongly Tory area where tgere are women who say - I don’t discuss politics it’s boring and then vote Tory
Are you a man, Frogoet?
That remark sounds rather disparaging of women.
It could be they don't want to discuss politics with you.

Oh that’s great! Dead babies but leave it to NGOs and the rest of the World. Even Macron has some conscience.

What on earth are you talking about. I know lots of men who dont talk politics either. I would say that watching what has happened in the last few weeks, staying silent is the most sensible option.

Well it about sums up our generation that women don’t discuss Politics.
Perhaps if tgey did they’d
- understand Cameron’s perks including Greensill
- understand why women remain out of higher management and politics. They still leave it to the men to decide their fate.

I'm not sure about David Cameron. In fact I'm not sure about most politicians! Looking back though I think he may have been better than most of those we have had since and even those recently before him. I say this taking into account my general observations as I am not particularly a Conservative supporter. It must be a horrendous job trying to run a country but I'm guessing that there are lots of perks.

I love a good political argument with my family but not with anyone else to be honest. I, shock horror, know lots of people who never give party politics a second thought, it's as much as some of them can do to make it through the day.

Why should they discuss politics with you if they don’t want to Frogoet? I also live in a Conservative stronghold and vote for that party in general elections but I don’t make a habit of getting into political discussions with neighbours unless I already know that their views chime with mine - it’s a guaranteed way of falling out. Strictly good friends and family only.

Sorry if those women are not interacting in exactly the way you want them to.

I live in a strongly Tory area where tgere are women who say - I don’t discuss politics it’s boring and then vote Tory

Take a look at what Starmer is doing to women and men of principle
amp.theguardian.com/politics/2023/nov/15/who-are-the-labour-mps-that-defied-keir-starmer-over-a-gaza-ceasefire

Finding it hard to swallow whoever said a woman couldn’t fit it.
Angela Merkel did a great job in many ways.
Ursula Van Der Leyden may not be all that but s huge on international stage.
PM of New Zealand. President Croatia, PM Norway then Shadow opposition Yvette Cooper and Emily Thornverry.
None suitable for The job but take a look at women rising stars like Zara Sultana
And qureshi and other emerging Labour left women.
Trouble is people get a vote with little understanding of what parties stand for.
How many know that Starmer had moved right of centre for instance and is whipping mps who want a ceasefire in Gaza?

toscalily

Is that a ploy, keep him out of the country as much as possible in the next few weeks in the hope that there will be less publicity regarding his past exploits?

Not necessarily. Rory Stewart said the problem for foreign secretaries is they were often tied to having to be in parliament for important votes etc and that, by having someone who can’t be in the HOC they are free to travel anywhere anytime. He also said that Cameron was straight on the phone to world leaders that he knew personally. So his appointment could be a good thing for the country at a time when the world is in such a mess. I still think his appointment was pretty shameful but it does have a positive side.

Is that a ploy, keep him out of the country as much as possible in the next few weeks in the hope that there will be less publicity regarding his past exploits?

It was reported this morning that Cameron is in Ukraine today.
I imagine Zelensky is overcome by a visit by a previous failed PM.

What has happened to Alok Scharma? I thought he was one of the Conservative good guys but he seems to have disappeared to the back benches?