PM Forced To Apologise for Balls Tourette's Jibe

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16458524

What does it say about Britain in 2012 when the Prime Minister openly makes jokes about disabled people?

David Cameron was compelled to apologise this weekend after describing the antics in the House of Commons of Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls as 'like having someone with Tourette's sitting opposite you'.

Of course it was the only thing the Prime Minister could do after such a highly-embarrassing gaffe.  However, for him to make such comments completely beggars belief.

His remarks are so unbelievable for two reasons.

This is a man who has experience of caring for a severely disabled child himself.  David Cameron went through the the very public loss of his first son, Ivan, who died three years ago aged 6, after suffering since birth from Ohtahara syndrome - a rare combination of epilepsy and cerebral palsy; a condition which meant he required round-the-clock care.

The PM of all people, should, therefore, have some empathy with those who live with disabilities and known better than to make such comments about Tourette's syndrome, a condition which is also highly debilitating and socially excluding.

Secondly, and much more disturbingly, even though we are well into the 21st Century, an enormous amount of prejudice and ignorance still exists in this country about disability. The PM's jibe at Ed Balls, only serves to illustrate just how widespread this is.

Mr Cameron's explanation that his remarks were 'off-the-cuff' will not wash with those who suffer with disabilities every day. It is just not good enough to say that he didn't give any thought beforehand how his remarks would be received.

We look to the PM to take the lead on such matters.

How will we ever rid this country of prejudice against disabled people if its leader sees fit to poke fun at them? They face enough obstacles in their daily lives without those who govern spreading the message to the nation that it is still acceptable to use those with disabilities as figures of ridicule.

It is a glaring example of just how totally out of touch the Prime Minister is with the lives of ordinary people.