The U.S. thinks this Government is like a Monty Python!

Appalling that someone should harass JR-M's child, but I have to say that I find it very irritating and odd that Mr Mogg often brings one of his boys along to events and meetings.

Why does he do that? Is he setting him up to be part of some Mogg political dynasty? It's like he's being groomed to be a future Tory MP or PM.

I think Chestnut just meant that she thought her neighbour had dementia. From people I’ve known asking the same question over and over again does seem to be one of the first signs of it unfortunately.

Chestnut

volver

I have diagnosed a lady who lives near me with dementia

Oh, are you a specialist geriatric psychiatry consultant then? Or a specialist Nurse with years of experience in the area and access to a CAT Scanner?

Because if not, you don't get to diagnose anything of the sort.

Can you explain why someone asks you the same question four times in the space of 5 or 10 minutes? Is that normal?

Severe and/or persistent UTI?

Recent brain injury or stroke of which you are unaware?

Delirium due to dehydration?

Brain tumour?

Nutritional deficiency?

You can suspect dementia all you like, but you can't diagnose it.

I think as a politician I would change my children's names and send them to school as someone else, with strict instructions for the school to not reveal who they were to anyone. I'm not sure you'd get away with it today though.

The thing is when you are a teenager a negative story or photo of your politician parent can make the bews in seconds and with social media it creates a narrative around them. How are the poor kids meant to shake it off when it is all consuming and constantly damaging to their mental health?
Many of our current politicians are younger than before and have children of a very impressionable age. Personally, I think Liz Truss deserves praise for keeping her girls off the steps of No. 10, unlike say Tony Blair. Family life should be neither used by the parents for photo ops nor exploited by the media. And that goes for health issues too.

volver

^I have diagnosed a lady who lives near me with dementia^

Oh, are you a specialist geriatric psychiatry consultant then? Or a specialist Nurse with years of experience in the area and access to a CAT Scanner?

Because if not, you don't get to diagnose anything of the sort.

Can you explain why someone asks you the same question four times in the space of 5 or 10 minutes? Is that normal?

paddyann54

Boris was /is exactly like Trump .if you cant see that then you have a problem .Lying cheating diverting public funds at will and he thinks he can come back!! Sadly there are still supposedly intelligent voters who think he should be allowed back .What does that say about the British population?
You should all be saying NEVER in a million years he was the cause of much thats happening in Downing St/Westminster now

I have nothing good to say about Johnson but, as far as I am aware, he didn't plan a coup. It wouldn't surprise me, sadly, but I have not yet heard of him doing this.

I have diagnosed a lady who lives near me with dementia

Oh, are you a specialist geriatric psychiatry consultant then? Or a specialist Nurse with years of experience in the area and access to a CAT Scanner?

Because if not, you don't get to diagnose anything of the sort.

I have diagnosed a lady who lives near me with dementia, but her memory is very bad indeed. I keep expecting her to say 'who are you?' or get lost going to the local shop. It hasn't happened yet but I feel it's getting closer.

As for Biden, he clearly has age related memory problems, and should not be President of the USA, but I'd never dream of diagnosing him. I don't think Americans have any right to criticise our government when they have Trump and Biden in charge.

Joseanne

I agree that children of politicians, royalty, celebrities etc have to grow very hard skins. Having said that, once in school they are not treated any differently, they have good friends and sensitivity is applied.
It can't be easy for family members when a relation is constantly maligned but I would try to detach all the "job" stuff from their role in the family, difficult though that might be.

As long as the public leave the offspring and other family members out of it.

I remember seeing a clip of someone harassing one of Rees-Mogg's children, telling him what a nasty person his father is.

I detest JR-M for his politics, but that was totally unacceptable.

I really don't like speculation on politician's private lives either - any speculation on any politician. There's been some on Truss' previous private life. Her private life, her business, and none of us know the details anyway.

Same goes for their appearance and dress. That can be really hurtful and damaging for kids to read, and it's not necessary.

I'm always reminded of when an interviewer remarked to Angela Merkel that she always appeared dressed in those jackets and trousers that have become her trademark. She wearily responded that she was paid to be a politician, not a fashion model. Quite so.

I wouldn’t dream of diagnosing anyone with anything as I am not medically trained.
Me neither, GrannyGravy but some of us have lived the journey with loved ones.

The possibility that someone as powerful as the POTUS not being absolutely on top of his brief is very worrying.

volver we have had two instances of dementia in our immediate family, forgetting people were dead was one of the things they each had in common despite having different forms of the disease.

I wouldn’t dream of diagnosing anyone with anything as I am not medically trained.

Do you remember that time Truss walked off stage and couldn't find her way out of the room? Gosh she did look lost.

Did you see her yesterday during the press conference when she was scanning the audience looking for a friendly face, then she found one and was asked a question, but she was completely unable to answer it and just rambled about something else entirely?

Poor soul, it must be dementia. What a worry.

This is my not-very-clever attempt at sarcasm. People trying to diagnose Biden with a mental problem from a distance should take a hard look at themselves.

Bea65

MawtheMerrier believe the US presenter talking about the recent in/out of UK Gov ministers was trying to be polite and he likened the everchanging and rangling turmoil to a monty python skit..believe there is one about repressed citizens and "I didn't vote for you.."

So a Monty Python Sketch ? Or episode ?
Why didn’t they say so?

maddyone

Mind you, at least we’ve never had anyone as bad as Trump. And don’t quote Boris to me, he couldn’t hold a candle to Trump. And Trump lasted four years! I have a feeling Truss will be lucky to manage four months.

I second that.

Johnson was a lot of things, and Truss is in incompetent wannabe, but DT was (is) IMO somewhat unhinged and unstable and some of his supporters thought he was appointed by God (there were some placards and 'boards' with an inscription to this effect planted outside some of their homes).

By comparison, well... there is no comparison.

Callistemon21

Whitewavemark2

Yes, but does he have dementia?

Gaffs are not dementia.

Oh dear, they do sound less like gaffes than like the beginning of a memory problem.

Whitewave

Gaffes are one thing. Memory slip-ups are a frequent sign of ageing, I'm sure we all recognise them.
However, complete mix-ups such as those mentioned are worrying, if correct, and we noticed these kind of bizarre announcements when someone close to us started saying strange things, but was very sure of herself. These worrying signs in her case turned out to be dementia.

Formerly I would have thought it was very wrong to speculate and would condemn anyone who said so, but the thought of that possibility is very worrying.

MerylStreep this response was yesterday on Bloomberg CNN - watch US news as half family American living in US

Speaking as someone who has a person with dementia in the family, I find it utterly distasteful to speculate on whether a person's gaffs are due to dementia or not. Much less to use it as some kind of insult and suggest that they are not up to the job.

Come back when you know what you are talking about.

Whitewavemark2

Yes, but does he have dementia?

Gaffs are not dementia.

Oh dear, they do sound less like gaffes than like the beginning of a memory problem.

I wouldn't mind Michael Palin as prime minister.

I agree that children of politicians, royalty, celebrities etc have to grow very hard skins. Having said that, once in school they are not treated any differently, they have good friends and sensitivity is applied.
It can't be easy for family members when a relation is constantly maligned but I would try to detach all the "job" stuff from their role in the family, difficult though that might be.

Sparklefizz

My American friends say so, and rumours have been in our press for a long time. He addresses people who've died, can't find his way off the stage, forgets what he's saying, etc etc

Bit like Truss then?

I’m sorry paddyanne but because I don’t agree with you doesn’t mean I have a problem. It’s rude to tell another poster they have a problem because of a different view.

maddyone

Yes, it must be unpleasant for family members of politicians when they are maligned. That holds true for anyone in public life though. As the saying goes, if you (and your family) can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

I seem to remember both Anna Soubry and Yvette Coopers daughters saying how fearful they were for their safety. Anna says she would never return to politics.

Yes, but does he have dementia?

Gaffs are not dementia.