Publicity the Conservatives would rather have avoided? part 2 - David Cameron's "twat" gaffe
Conservative leader David Cameron is known for his polished performances, so what should we make of his "twat" gaffe?
Should we be so surprised when politicians swear on air or on camera? After all swearing is part of everyday life in many offices up and down the land.
Maybe its part of the Tories attempt to position Mr Cameron as an everyman that everyone can identify with? Who knows.
Click HERE to listen to the interview.
This is what happened:
The Tory leader slipped out the word "twat" as he explained why he did not use the Twitter social networking service.
He then risked making the situation worse by stating that the public was "pissed off" with politicians - although he quickly added: "Sorry, I can't say that in the morning."
The comments came as Mr Cameron was grilled by Absolute Radio presenter Christian O'Connell about quirky details of his life and character in what was billed as a "different kind of interview".
Asked whether he used Twitter, Mr Cameron said: "The trouble with Twitter, the instantness of it - too many twits might make a twat."
The remark was greeted with laughter in the studio, with host Christian O'Connell saying: "That's fantastic."
Shortly afterwards, the Tory leader was talking about how "focused" he was on the forthcoming general election, and the effects of the expenses scandal.
He said: "The public are rightly, I think, pissed off - sorry I can't say that in the morning - angry with politicians."
Aides stressed that Mr Cameron had apologised immediately for the latter slip, and pointed out that "twat" was not defined as a swear word under radio guidelines.
Mr Cameron also revealed that he still asked himself whether he was the right person to lead the country.
"Of course you think all the time about 'am I going to be able to take those really big decisions, take that responsibility suffer the consequences when things go wrong, take difficult decisions that could involve sending people into harm's way?'," he said.
"I did think about that, though, before standing for the leadership of the Conservative Party, because I always thought there was a good chance of winning that..."
"I thought very carefully, 'am I able to make those decisions, am I tough enough, am I strong enough to do it?'.
"And I thought 'yes I want to do this, I can do this and I am going to give it my best shot'."
8 Comments
Leave a comment
Dale Street Associates
David Bartlett
City editor of the Post and Echo covering politics, regeneration, and urban affairs.
Read My Posts »
Anything to take the heat off Esther McVey, eh?
Anything to distract attention from Esther McVey, eh?
I take it that the deletion my previous comment about particular words that can and cannot be be used, answers my question. Fair play Mr David, sir, quite right.
I apologise for being uncharacteristically frivolous. I hope you didn't spit your tea out like Mrs Chucklebutty.
Not just you, Prof. Seems what's good for the Tory goose doesn't make the cut for the rest of us. But a Tory twit is still a Tory prit in anyone's language.
Or an Anthony Blunt
I was intrigued to read that Cameron doesn't regard the term as a swear word. What does that say about life at Eton?
Incidentally, I don't regard the affair as a case of "bad" language being used. Instead, I see it as limited & limiting language being employed. It's oh so easy to drag out the old familiar Anglo-Saxon epithets.
Anglo Saxon? She does Liverpool Confidential doesn't she?
Thanks for another informative website. The place else may just I get that
kind of information written in such an ideal means?
I have a venture that I am simply now running on, and I have been
at the glance out for such info.