It's just been announced that David Cameron's father Ian has just died, a short time after the PM arrived at his hospital bedside in France, having suffered a stroke earlier today. I so hope he knew that his son was there.
I think for those of us who are a similar age to David Cameron it's the thing we most dread in our lives - the passing of a parent. As I type this my eyes are moist just thinking how he, his mother, brother and sister will be feeling.
Whatever our views, whatever our politics, I hope we can all be united in thinking of the Cameron family this afternoon.
UPDATE: A commenter reports... "PA reports that Nicolas Sarkozy personally approved a helicopter to take DC to the hospital, without which, he may not have been there to say goodbye to his father. Say what you like about our French neighbours but when it comes down to it, they're a pretty civilized bunch. I'm sure the PM appreciated the gesture enormously."
UPDATE: The Telegraph has a full obituary of Ian Cameron HERE.
21 comments:
I totally agree Iain, but how wonderful that his Dad was able to see him walk into Downing Street as Prime Minister.
I hope the chap got to see his grandaughter. Massive sympathies to all of them.
I dislike Cameron's politics intensely, but amen to your post Iain.
He's suffered a loss of a child, relatively recently, and now his father. It must be a devastating blow.
My thoughts are entirely with him and his family.
When a parent dies it is devastating - I am 45 and have lost both mine. And I have not yet recovered - the mourning never stops and there is a void. Mr Cameron, is luckier than some: he has a loving wife and wonderful children.
And you are right, I hope his father was able to see Mr Cameron before he died.
My sincere condolences.
Raging Reg - the disillusioned but still resolute Lib Dem
I lost my mother 12 years ago. I live in dread of the day that my father goes. How sad that a time that should have been filled with joy at the arrival of Florence should now be marred by the death of a beloved father and grandfather. My heart goes out to the family.
Very sad and hopefully they managed to see each other one last time.
On another note, as it was obviously a massive stroke at least this was relatively quick (although obviously a tremendous shock). I can remember my great grandmother being struck down by one and totally bedridden for the last 5-6 years of her life having been very active previously. That was no way to live in the end.
So sad for them all, it must hav e been a dreadful shock. Good that Florenc e was born before he died tho', and at least he didn't suffer a long illness. R.I.P. Mr. Cameron.
It is sad news indeed Iain, and a very raw time for all concerned in the family.
What I've found interesting though, is that it was over 16 years since Scrobs Senior died, and just occasionally, after all this time, he pops up in the odd dream (as does Mrs Scrobs Senior), and it is a strange comfort that I can wake the following morning having had a 'conversation' with the old folks.
I always look on it as part of the grief de-fragging exercise - even after all this time, and I was lucky having both loving folks all my life.
This doesn't take away any of the grief they'll be feeling, but it is a peculiarly comforting issue which may make things easier for others.
Beautifully expressed, Iain.
My own Dad died in similar circumstances a couple of years ago, so David Cameron's experience has plenty of personal resonance.
Unfortunately I didn't manage to get to his bedside before his second and fatal stroke. However, part of me will always be grateful for that, particulary as a previously fit and active man had clearly been considerably disabled by the first stroke, thus my abiding memories of him are as a happy and able-bodied man.
Thinking of David Cameron and his family.
Ian Cameron was a successful businessman, despite his disability. That must have taken some determination.
Think about it: in the 50s and 60s, adapting buildings for the less than totally mobile was unheard of. In London, the Tube was completely off limits for anyone not able bodied (and much of it still is).
That makes Ian Cameron's career a bit more remarkable. Young Dave cannot have had a better role model.
+1
As an aside, PA reports that Nicolas Sarkozy personally approved a helicopter to take DC to the hospital, without which, he may not have been there to say goodbye to his father. Say what you like about our French neighbours but when it comes down to it, they're a pretty civilized bunch. I'm sure the PM appreciated the gesture enormously.
One of the few things we, in this archipelago, still do well is death.
I've run out of the previous generation, and my mother-in-law went to her reward a few weeks back. I nearly added "fortunately" to the start of that previous sentence, as a recognition of the pain and hollowness deaths involve. I doubt that anyone, however cynical, ever forgets totally. Now I'm finding contemporaries (and some of the younger fellers) falling off the perch. It is chastening.
My basic thought is, had anyone written a novel of the twists-and-turns in the Cameron household over these last couple of years, it would be dismissed as sensational.
I've mocked David Cameron's privileged background. Allow me to regret some of that now.
De mortuis nil nisi bonum.
On these occasions I find myself reciting William Dunbar's magnificent (and unfairly neglected, south of the Border) Lament for the makirs. If you don't know it, go look it up.
It's something that us starting to concern me as both my parents lost a parent before they were forty and I will be thirty-five by the end of this month. I think that sometimes we don't realise how thankful we should be.
The one consolation I can see from this was that at least Ian Cameron lived to see the birth of his granddaughter, Florence
Iain, you put this really well.
I feel for the whole family - probably mostly little Nancy, though. She was around the age I was when I lost my beloved grandfather and that was really confusing and horrible and I remember being terribly worried about my granny. It's not the first time she's experienced the loss of someone close in her little life either.
At least she clearly has a close and loving family around her.
An admirable man:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23875455-david-camerons-father-seriously-ill-with-stroke.do#readerComments
Great post Iain.
And thank you Mr Zarkozy.
My condolences to Mr Cameron and his family.
You know it is amazing how many times in my circle of family & friends close and distant that when a new baby is born someone generally dies in the family or wider circle. It would be interesting to see a study of such statistics.
This brings home to all those on the left who complain that the use of the phrase 'We are all in this together' does not apply to multi millionaire Cameron and the coalition. In fact David is the most near to normal prime minister we have had. We can all feel his pain and enjoyment with equal measure. Through his short political career we have seen tremendous family ups and downs in the Cameron household. It will make him stronger and more compassionate
My thoughts are with you David on this sad occasion A great man in the making
The PurpleLine - That's a thought I had as well. My grandmother died 15 years ago, 2 days after her granddaughter was born. Almost as if she was waiting for the birth before she passed away.
" think for those of us who are a similar age to David Cameron it's the thing we most dread in our lives - the passing of a parent"
Nonsense. Always sad when a close friend or relative dies. And parents are special. But the death of a parent well into their eighth decade is far, far less of a "dread" than the loss of a child or a spouse. As David Cameron would no doubt agree....
Paddy Briggs, you really don't get this "being human" thing do you. Just be quiet for a moment, and suppress your urge to tell people what to feel. You make a trout look emotionally intelligent.
Paddy Briggs said:
"...the death of a parent well into their eighth decade is far, far less of a "dread" than the loss of a child or a spouse."
Fair point, but on the other hand the future death of a parent will always seem more proximate than the loss of a child or spouse, for most people at least, and to that extent the dread relating to the former predominates over that of the latter.
Thus it's a question of immediacy rather than the magnitude of the grief that would be felt if the worst was to happen.
And to that extent the older the parent is the greater the sense of dread will be, because their death will seem all the more imminent, which is sort of the opposite of your own point.
It's perhaps a bit like our attitude to our own mortality; when we're young there's less worry about it because it seems so far in the future, while as we get older it becomes more imminent and thus something to dread.
If I can agree with Jeremy Clarkson about something then it's his point that with greater age it becomes more of a surprise when we manage to wake up again each morning!
without which< he may not have been there
Did the PA really write that? It should be "might not".
Post a Comment