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Does 'the top job' involve sacrifices?

(58 Posts)
Greatnan Sun 11-Nov-12 08:56:00

Texts between David Cameron and Rebekah (sic) Brooks display a very close relationship. Was this appropriate for a prime minister and a newspaper editor? Surely he should have put his Chipping Norton friendships on hold as long as he was in office? It may have been perfectly innocent, of course, but it certainly fuelled speculation that undue influence was being exerted.

Elegran Mon 12-Nov-12 18:19:20

Just as well she did not have to be above suspicion. Wasn't she married to her brother, and moved on from J Caesar to Mark Anthony who said, according to Shakespeare, "I found you as a morsel cold upon dead Caesar's trencher; nay, you were a fragment."

jeni Mon 12-Nov-12 18:12:55

Sorrygreatnan it was JESSM not you!
Mea culpa, mea culpa mea maxima culpa! What penance do you want to impose?
I wouldn't dream of saying you have no soh!

Ana Mon 12-Nov-12 18:12:13

Yes, she was his mistress but not his wife. Presumably she didn't need to be above suspicion!

annodomini Mon 12-Nov-12 18:03:28

According to Plutarch (and Shakespeare and Shaw), Cleopatra had a son by Caesar, Ptolemy Caesar, aka Caesarion.

jeni Mon 12-Nov-12 17:59:40

'And every night when Caesar said goodnight at 3 o'clock:--
A roman engineer was waiting , just around the block!

Ana Mon 12-Nov-12 17:54:38

But he wasn't actually married to Cleopatra...

Lilygran Mon 12-Nov-12 17:42:43

And we shouldn't forget Cleopatra. How did he find the time?

Ana Mon 12-Nov-12 17:32:49

Sorry, Greatnan - that was in reply to jeni!

Ana Mon 12-Nov-12 17:31:27

I may print myself a certificate to that effect - sure I can find something suitable on the webnet!

Greatnan Mon 12-Nov-12 17:31:09

Jeni - I am bemused - I haven't mentioned anything about your education, classical or otherwise. I was merely having a little banter about the way a very serious subject (to me) was being diverted in the well-known fashion. I do realise I will now be accused of having no sense of humour! sad

jeni Mon 12-Nov-12 17:26:05

Apparently Ana

Ana Mon 12-Nov-12 17:21:15

Oh, so I can say I had a classical education can I? Even though I gave up Latin after Third Year? grin

JessM Mon 12-Nov-12 17:19:46

I think grammar school including Latin probably counts these days jeni.
Of course it used to mean A level Latin and Greek, followed I think by something called "Greats" in Oxbridge? (the really important subjects hmm)
I remember Keith Joseph, when he was Thatcher's Sec of state for Education and Science saying that because he had a classical education he had no education at all in science. And he said it without shame. shock
(But us from S Wales knew he was not proper-posh cos his dad owned the funfair in Porthcawl)

jeni Mon 12-Nov-12 16:57:07

Hey greatnan I didn't have a classical education. I had a scientific one. They made me take Latin and I scored 23% at O level. That's the sum of my classical education! Stop casting nasturtiums at me! I might take a fence! (Where to I wonder)confused

Lilygran Mon 12-Nov-12 16:49:04

Of course, if you were that way inclined, you might think that both the emails quoted are open to other interpretations.........

Lilygran Mon 12-Nov-12 16:45:03

Three wives. Calpurnia was No 3. What astonishes me is not that they all go slightly to very mad and reckless with being in the top job but that they don't know texts, emails etc are very public documents!

Greatnan Mon 12-Nov-12 13:18:32

Because he is the prime minister and she was editor of a national newspaper! That is why I suggested that high office entails some sacrifice. There was at least the whiff of cronyism in her talk of 'looking forward to working together'. A prime minister should be on the same terms with all sections of the media.

JessM Mon 12-Nov-12 13:14:21

Not everyone had/remembers the content of "a classical education" jeni
We greatnan I think it is evident that I think he is a twit - as is shown by the fact the has appointed 18 other old Etonians to his cabinet, as you put on another thread. Timewarp man. (When was the last time we had that many old etonians in the cabinet. Anyone know?)
Brooks' husband was in school with Dave. So why would he not trust them and stay close buddies? hmm

jeni Sun 11-Nov-12 17:02:56

I thought everyone knew he had two wives. Shakespeare didn't check his history.

Greatnan Sun 11-Nov-12 16:52:58

Jeni - do you want to be in detention? grin

jeni Sun 11-Nov-12 16:52:54

Pompeia Sulla was the second.

jeni Sun 11-Nov-12 16:51:00

Yes. The first one Cornelia died in childbirth, the second poppeia I think he divorced because of some scandal ' Caesars wife must be beyond reproach'

Greatnan Sun 11-Nov-12 16:50:05

Yes, but do you think Cameron was right to stay on such intimate terms with the editor of a national newspaper?

JessM Sun 11-Nov-12 16:46:01

Did Caesar have more than one wife jeni ?

jeni Sun 11-Nov-12 12:48:34

But which wife?