Why the reluctance to answer questions and face the real electorate ?

Did those who are coming down hardest on TM like her predecessor any better? He had all the social skill she lacks, but somehow.....

The point I'm trying to make, and which I don't expect many people to agree with, is that I don't think meeting people and "getting the message out" is anywhere near the most important part of a prime minister's job. Any good actor could do that part. It's the stuff that goes on in the background that counts more in the end I think.

David Cameron just buggered off when he failed to get what he'd assumed he would get easily. Fat lot of use his smarmy social skills were then. TM has taken on, with a good heart, and unexpectedly, one of the hardest ever political tasks to face the country. And she appears to believe in democracy. So far so good. Seriously, who else among the Tories would people prefer? It goes without saying that many would prefer not a Tory but that's not what I've asked.

I'm just waiting for the election to be over. Fascinating how the polls suggest that's all up in the air now. Time will tell.

I did notice that one of the ITV reporters seemed and sounded to be very ill last night - perhaps there are some nasty bugs going round but no-one is able to give in and have a couple of days in bed.

Indeed

So glad I make you grin, whitewave, what with all your dread and anxiety about Brexit and the GE - it must be a very difficult time for you (like the last GE)

dd I think she is not looking at all well to be honest. She definately has better days than others and yes she seems to be losing weight.

It doesn't really matter what it's called. Type 1 diabetes is classified as a disease and it can be serious, if blood sugar is unstable, because it can lead to further complications in the short and long term.

Until recently, Type 1 diabetics had significantly lower life expectancy and even those with the best care can have hypos.

Maybe I'm imagining it, but I think TM has been losing weight, which is not a good sign for a T1 diabetic.

Whatever the reason, her behaviour over the last couple of weeks has been strange and doesn't instill confidence.

I know jalima it's just that ana always behaves true to form and is so predictable that she makes me grin. I'm sorry ana you are perfectly entitled to constantly pick people up but pedantry always makes me grin.

It is not an illness, it is a lifelong condition. I was informed of this by my consultant (I do not have this but she used it as an analogy).

Just to clarify that Ana is correct in what she says.

Weird...

Oh ana

Type 1 diabetes is not 'an illness'.

(I'm really not interested in your opinion about May's performance)

I am willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and understand that her poor performance is due her illness. However if you dispute this ana I am quite willing to accept that she had absolutely no excuse for her stilted u-turns and dreadful performance.

It's not a 'serious illness'! It's a condition.

People with type 1 diabetes cope with all sorts of stressful and challenging jobs all the time.

Her performance during the past 3 weeks or so has been grim and she clearly hasn't coped with the pressure. Given her illness and unfortunate character traits I think she is one of the worse to have chosen.

Mind you the other choices were dreadful.

I am not convinced that someone with such a serious illness and given her age is up the the sort of pressure and stress that comes with the job.

Blimey rose you can't dismiss type 1 diabetis as merely a few injections a day! It is a serious and nasty illness that needs careful managing. Of course she will feel under the weather at times, as I noticed a couple of days ago she looked quite dreadful.

She's the one that called this unnecessary election just prior to the brexit negotiations so I'm afraid she won't get a sympathy vote from me.

Self injecting is easy enough to do once you get used to it.It shouldn't be a problem for T May, or anyone.

This was pointed out when she was in the leadership contest.

I've just read elsewhere that Theresa May suffers from Type 1 diabetes. She has to self inject several times a day.
Poor woman - but if so, how can she be strong enough to lead the country in these difficult times?

imagine Britain 5 years from now. Well don't it is too, too depressing

A "socially awkward" "bloody difficult woman" negotiating best Brexit deal for us?

When under pressure she seems to sip water; not sure what to make of that. I think she took on the job as PM [why anyone would want that poisoned chalice at this moment in time is beyond me though]feeling that she was popular and charismatic and [imo] seemed to pay more attention to her wardrobe than her policies. Couldn't quite decide whether to be a Mother Teresa figure or a Margaret Thatcher; seemed to pitch herself somewhere in between and ended up grey and shadowy. You CANNOT have the leader of a country who is socially awkward; it just doesn't go with the job spec, does it?

If she's socially awkward you'd have that during her years in the public eye she would have developed strategies to deal with such situations. It's a bit difficult to be a leader when you're hidden away.

Is this the person we are supposed to rely on to negotiate brexit?