Always a Frown with Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown took umbrage this week at being described by a Tory as 'autistic', and not for the first time. However, while the statement of Peter Viggers, in December last year, clearly did seem to be a slur on autistic people as well as the Chancellor, this does not apply to the comments of George Osborne, which were rather light-hearted. The word 'autistic' is not offensive in itself and it is demeaning to suggest otherwise. It is a shame, therefore, that the issue has generated so much heat and that the National Autistic Society have jumped onto the bandwagon. It would have been sensible to have at least asked a few autistic people what we think before deciding, on our behalf, that we have been offended. Perhaps our next Prime Minister is saying that it is an insult to autistic people for us to be compared with him.