Can everyone with a child missing?

Question

expect a phone call from the Cabinet Office?
"MADELEINE McCann’s parents were given a boost last night when David Miliband assured them of his full support.
The Foreign Secretary phoned Gerry, 39, and Kate, 38, in the Algarve. A spokesman said: “David Miliband has been in the job less than a week but it was high on his list.
“He wanted to let them know he’ll do all he can to help find Madeleine.”

saturn5, elected government ministers are meant to treat each case equally and not on the basis of fame or fortune. Fact is, he's ringing them to get himself in the news. Everyone else can shift for themselves, grief or no grief. Sarcasm? Good Lord, never.

Answer 1

It is all PR. I've said it before and will say it again PR PR PR!

Mr Brown's advisors would have been rubbing their hands with glee when the news broke as they were able to leap on the bandwagon with Mr Brown and make him seem like a caring kinda guy. Truth be told I think he would be very critical of the couple and their actions but it made for nice headlines didn't it?

For David Miliband to jump on at this late stage where many are growing more and more cynical is a bit of an empty gesture but a gesture none the less.

No, not everyone with a child missing will get a phone call. If your child is very marketable and the press push it and it happens at a time of change or bad press for the goverment then yes, you will.

Answer 2

Until Margaret Hill's abduction a couple of days ago, how many other abducted British toddlers were still missing? How then can you judge that David Miliband is not treating the McCanns just exactly as he would another British family in a similar situation?

Suppose that David Miliband has phoned the Hill family in Nigeria, if it was not reported you wouldn't know. There is unlikely to be as high profile a media campaign for Margaret Hill as she has clearly been abducted for ransom and her kidnappers have contacted her parents already so there would be nothing for a publicity campaign to achieve.

Answer 3

The high level of protection the Mccann's are receiving from senior figures is baffling.
When are these ministers going to listen to the public? We want the Mcann's role in Madeleine's disappearance to be investigated. We don't want yet another Government cover up.
What about the 3 year old in Nigeria? Bet her parents wont get the same level of support. I have seen posts from some Mccann supporters saying that its her parents fault for living in Nigeria! And yet they don't blame Kate & Gerry for going out on the lash and leaving their 3 young kids alone.

Answer 4

Well answered leejayangelo. It seems like everyone is jumping on the band-waggon, no pun intended. MADELEINE is more important than Government cu dos. MADELEINE is more important than Gerry - I see you can now spell her name correctly Gerry! By the way running this Country is more important David than trying to raise your profile by associating with this shower, if you could actually do something constructive I would say good on you but a well publicised phone call is not going to fool anyone.

Answer 5

Well well, another bandwagon for a politician to jump on. No sign of Mr MIlliband joining Mr & Mrs McCann in conducting a personal search for the child I suppose. Words are cheap!

Answer 6

I just hope that the poor couple in Nigeria get the same. It looks like th father will have to swap places with his 3 year old daughter. I think it's a good thing though, as much as I despise the McCanns for leaving their child alone in the first place, any effort made to find her is a bonus after all it's the safety of the child that's important here, the neglect issue should be dealt with after she is found.

Here's the link to the Margaret Hill story

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6275890.stm

Answer 7

Instead of begrudging the McCanns this level of contact, perhaps we should instead fight for others too to receive it. I am very glad the McCanns are being given this support, and very disappointed that others are not. I don't understand those who think the McCanns need to step out of the publicity level - I would move the earth to find my child.

Answer 8

when people ask question about the support the mccanns get for their missing four year old what are they worried about too much media coverage and heaven forbid a missing child might be safe or worse still a lot of support and they might get their little girl back

can you please list all of the missing children in this country under the age of 10 because according to everybody on here theyre all just floating about unheard of

Answer 9

gerry and kate have support from the goverment as they are white and middle class with proffesional employment

the goverment should support everybody equally

the media are terrified of asking any questions about the case as they would loose their jobs

its a case of the middle classes sticking together in their secracy and lies . the public are not stupid and can see what is going on

Answer 10

Full support? Advocating the neglect and cause of a missing child?

Nice to see this was high on his list and ultimately newsworthy, when there's a country to run.

The poor child in Nigeria deserves to be top news at the moment and isn't. Gerry just can't help himself by hijacking this story aswell.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1273953,00.html