Shannon Matthews found alive
Fraser Nelson 4:06pm
I passed two Evening Standard vendors shouting out the news that Shannon Mathews has been found alive - even though it's not in the newspaper. One was listening on his radio. I saw the other stop passers-by to tell them. This story probably eclipses all the politcial news of the last year put together. People who never listen to the political news if they can help it (ie, most of the public) will listen to this. That's why it's so shrewd of David Cameron to get out reaction quickly, with good quote, thus becoming part of this mammoth story. He told reporters in Gateshead:
"So often in these cases, you wait and you wait and then you hear tragic and awful news. All of us were thinking that was maybe what might happen and it is great that she is alive."
Sums up what millions think.
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Comments
Max Kaye
March 14th, 2008 4:22pmCheap politicing. She was probably just visiting one of her stepdads. Being so numerous, her mum probably forgot this one's existence....
If it is true that "This story probably eclipses all the politcial news of the last year put together." then we, as a society, are beyond help.
Geoffrey
March 14th, 2008 4:29pmWe're all pleased she's been found, but is she?
Phil
March 14th, 2008 4:29pmOne of the things that shocked me about the Alistair Campbell diaries was the readiness of Blair to exploit such events (like Dunblane). Such behaviour is not something to aspire to although I agree with the sentiments expressed by Cameron
THX1138
March 14th, 2008 4:31pmThis is really really great news. Why did you have to bring Cameron into it just made it sound so political & cynical what does it matter that he beat Brown to a reaction. YUCK
Jennie Babes
March 14th, 2008 5:06pmThis Is Amazing News I Am So Happy God Bless YoU Shannon xx
JR
March 14th, 2008 5:10pmErm. I think this is a bit of a reverse Jo Moore, Fraser. Cameron has every right to respond to a question but you putting his statement in an admiring context of 'becoming part of the story' makes me quesey. I think ever since Diana people are getting more cute to this sort of thing from politians - if Cameron's team conciously rushed out a statement more shame them and more fool them.
Fraser Nelson
March 14th, 2008 5:18pmMax, we have to be realistic about the size of the audiences. For many this will be the only words of Cameron they will have listened to. (That's why it matters, THX) Most folk couldnt care less about politics. But it is not much exaggeration to say the entire country is rejoicing tonight over Shannon's safe return.
Cheryl. 16
March 14th, 2008 5:43pmDoes It Matter About All The Political Rubbish To do with it?! The main thing is that little girl is home safe and sound. and in a world of todays society the emphasis is on the word safe. i think you all need to stop being so critical towards the governement and poloticians and what not and just be thankfull and greatfull she didnt fall into the hands of a peadofile or worse. sheesh. cant you people just accept good news and leave it at that? shes HOME.& SAFE. ebough said people.!
Gina.
March 14th, 2008 5:46pmim glad Shannon is found hope you have a nice life Shannon all the love Georgina hope you are feeling ok
Max Kaye
March 14th, 2008 5:54pmFraser, You may be right (which explains why I'll never be a politician - or trust one).
Max Kaye
March 14th, 2008 5:58pmBTW Fraser, one of the reasons I subscribe to The Spectator is to get away from mawkish populism and cheap emotionalism. This site should not encourage such behaviour or it will cease to be a haven for intelligent comment and discourse.
Talia
March 14th, 2008 6:04pmI'm with you, Max. What is it with this mawkish display of vicarious emotion?
Jennie
March 14th, 2008 6:17pmHow do you know that most of the public do not listen to the polical news? Most of the public that I know do indeed listen to the political news.
adrian drummond
March 14th, 2008 7:13pmWell said, Max!
salieri
March 14th, 2008 8:03pm3 very different issues raised here: (1) is this little girl's safe homecoming more important to the public than political events? Yes, of course - and Max, why the cheap gibe about her mum? (2) did Dave deliberately latch onto the Diana effect like Bliar? No, he was asked for his reaction and gave it, fairly and unpompously (3) is the Coffee House sufficiently accessible to the young and illiterate? Evidently. But I still suspect "Cheryl. 16" is a troll in disguise.
RW
March 14th, 2008 8:10pmFraser, you sound like a cub reporter unleashed on his first "real" story. Please step back and reflect on your own hyperbole ("this mammoth story", "eclipses all the political news of the past year", "The entire country is rejoicing tonight"). This is not what most sensible, pragmatic readers would expect from the Spectator's political editor. Time to calm down and get a grip?
RW
March 14th, 2008 8:27pmGeoffrey's brief comment above sums up the whole sad, sordid affair to perfection. What a life this little girl has had, and what prospects she has to look forward to.
emma
March 14th, 2008 8:45pmI am sooo pleased that shes been found god bless you Shannon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tom
March 14th, 2008 9:35pm"This story probably eclipses all the politcial news of the last year put together." Judging by the number of comments, it could be one of coffee house's most 'popular' stories...
Natale
March 14th, 2008 10:06pmIt is great news that Shannon has been found alive. Let's hope she can get over this ordeal and take inspiration from the two girls who went missing in 1999 in Brighton. I can't imagine how i would feel if anything was to happen to my daughter.
Fraser Nelson
March 14th, 2008 10:26pmRW, I define a mammoth story is one that a great many people are interested in. Believe me, there is a quantum difference between this and any political news - in terms of reach, resonance, basic popularity. I suspect tomorrow's newspapers will back me up on this. The comments from Emma and Gina are more representative of the public then anything from the rest of us. It boils down to this: how often do we have a long search for a missing girl that ends in her being found alive?
Bethany
March 14th, 2008 10:55pmshannon i asked my mom if i can see u but i cant i may be 12 but i like you.
THX1138
March 15th, 2008 12:08amFraser- "For many this will be the only words of Cameron they will have listened to." When I read your comment I wanted to have a go. I thought you patronising bastard but sadly I know your probably right. Dave said exactly the right thing & summed up exactly what I was thinking when I read the news. We expect senior politicians to say the right things and capture the public mood in these situations that's surely part of the job description. TB was always very good at this. Forget the politics, anyway their are no votes in this it transcends politics. The boy did good can we leave it at that.
Verity
March 15th, 2008 1:52amOh, all the little socialist trolls come hopping onto the thread! How cute! This poor little girl, who I am glad is safe, is going to have one hell of a life with her mother and her four stepfathers and all the other stepfathers of her siblings and all their relatives. The socialists have created "families" like this, with "partners" and "step brothers and sisters" and, I'm assuming, temporary melding of "benefits". This is what tony blair and his socialist cohorts wanted. A cravenly dependent populace. Dilute the responsibilitiy through "partners"- not the ancient husbands and wives - and step brothers and step mothers and step fathers and step sisters until ... there isn't any allegiance. It's all been dispersed. And indeed, the socialist trolls are out and hopping and infesting sites tonight. Funny that a putative moron like Bethany knew about The Speccie. CiF. Blair and the rest of the EUSSR nomenklatura, will be passing on their wealth and power to their own.
lisa
March 15th, 2008 3:36amshes been fpund dnt listen to wat people tell u her parents love her
Border Reiver
March 15th, 2008 8:19amWhat surprises me about the Spectator's Political Editor is not that he he mawkish or sentimental, but that he actually understands and appreciates the struggles, fears and joys of the 'people'. I actively disliked his writing on the Scotsman, I now genuinely feel he should run for Parliament. Mr Nelson is a true conservative. His compassion for the voters is real and his judgment on the solutions to their dilemmas are sound. Then again, maybe it's true that a political journalist in politics is as much use as a eunuch in a whore house. Nevertheless, it would be noble of him to stand for a Scottish Border seat and smash the LibDem feudalism. The Borderers do not care for political allegiances, they care for the safety of their young. Mr Nelson is politics 2.0, if only the Cameroons would listen....
adrian drummond
March 15th, 2008 12:26pmFraser, it is quite telling if the comments from Emma and Gina are more representative of the public than anything from 'the rest of us'. A large section of a public that diets on huge helpings of soaps, police/hospital dramas and pays regular homage to the new celebrity 'gods' is always going to find this type of story more important. However, to say that, 'This story probably eclipses all the political news of the last year put together' is, I think, rather over doing it. BTW. Very pleased the young girl has been found.
Max Kaye
March 16th, 2008 7:43pmsalieri @ March 14th, 2008 8:03pm: My jibe may have been low, but it wasn't 'cheap'. I think it is safe to assume that the British taxpayer is picking up the tab for looking after this woman; her seven children by five fathers; and, most probably, these same five fathers too.
childlesspublicsectorworkerandaTorypayingforlazymotyhermatthewsandhersixkids
March 19th, 2008 3:26pmI am delighted that Shannon is safe and well. However I would much rather live inside a drawer than be part of that family. They're just grotesque. Her mother looks twenty years older. Poor sod, I wish her Shannon all the best of luck.
Juvenal
March 20th, 2008 3:27pmThere's obviously a lot more to come out, so too much comment or speculation would be unhelpful - but it all looks from here like one more reason for, no, not reforming but destroying the entire benefits structure. I suspect the hidden background to the government's wish to introduce ID cards is the prevalence of benefit fraud and the claiming of council property 'entitlement' through the use of aliases and surnames that conceal family relationships and enable multiple claims.