Which Nickname Should David Cameron Be Remembered By?
Sophia Hyatt Nick Thompson Adam Rothbarth Rhys Thomas Rec Room Staff Aleksandra Bliszczyk Kamila Rymajdo Anna Merlan Samantha Cole Tim Hume
We asked people in the street if there are any more suitable nicknames for the prime minister than "Dodgy Dave".
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On Monday, the House of Commons hosted a roast. It was the first time David Cameron had faced questions from his fellow MPs since he admitted to benefitting from his father’s offshore trust, and the jibes came in one after the other. But only veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner went in hard enough – calling the prime minister “Dodgy Dave”, and then refusing to retract his statement – to actually be kicked out of the room.

Cameron’s premiership will be remembered for a few big political things – the decimation of the welfare state, whatever happens with Brexit – but also for some slightly more low-key stuff, like Skinner’s quip and the whole allegedly fucking a pig’s head thing. But is “Dodgy Dave” the most suitable nickname to be repeated on BBC Two panel shows of the future, or is there a better alternative?

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We asked some people in the street for their opinion.

VICE:Should Dennis Skinner be allowed to call David Cameron “Dodgy Dave”?

Gogo, 32:I don’t see why not. If there’s enough evidence to substantiate that claim, yeah.

So do you think Skinner was wrongfully evicted from Parliament?

I think he wasn’t given the chance to explain why he called Dave “Dodgy Dave”, and he was more or less bullied out.

On that note, should Cameron have been evicted for what has been deemed on social media an “ageist” dinosaur reference to Skinner? He said: “It’s very good to see the Labour party in full voice cheering on Jurassic Park… I would stick to the movie.”

That is definitely age discrimination.

So do you think if Skinner was evicted for voicing a perceived discriminative remark that Cameron should also have been evicted for voicing a perceived discriminative remark?

Well, I suppose it’s all on the same lines of abuse. It’s all abusive, locker room, school boy-ish rubbish. It’s like: get on with the actual politics and get the country sorted out.

Which alliterative epithet do you think David Cameron should be remembered by?

No comment.

Should Skinner be allowed to call David Cameron “Dodgy Dave”?

Tamara, 28: No. I think there’s an etiquette in the house, and I think you have to be respectful of that, especially if you’re told to take it back. I feel like, if you’re told to take it back then you should take it back.

Should Cameron have been kicked out for calling Skinner a “dinosaur”? Is that ageist?

I don’t think that’s as bad, because it’s not as direct a hit, I suppose?

So Skinner’s comment was worse?

Yeah, definitely.

Is the House of Commons too politically correct?

I think it could be, yeah. “Dodgy Dave”, to me, isn’t that offensive. It was unjust, and I kind of understood where he was coming from. It was just a rhyming of his name, so I think, yeah, probably a bit too much.

What “D” or “C” word would you call Cameron?

Oh! I don’t know… gosh. It’s quite hard, because I do like David Cameron, but do I think he messed up? Definitely. More-Detail David?

Should Skinner be allowed to call David Cameron “Dodgy Dave”?

Mike, 45: Sure.

Why?

Cos he’s dodgy.

Social media has deemed Cameron’s “dinosaur” remark about Cameron “ageist”. Should he have been kicked out too?

Neither of them should have been evicted. Freedom of speech.

Is Parliament too politically correct?

Everything’s too politically correct. Everything.

Which alliterative epithet do you think David Cameron should be remembered by?

Douchebag Dave.

Should Skinner be allowed to call Cameron “Dodgy Dave” without being asked to leave the debate?

Cal, 26: Yeah, for sure. What, you can’t say “Dodgy Dave”? That seems like an overreaction.

What about Cameron’s “dinosaur” dig back at Skinner?

That’s just, like, such a awful stab, isn’t it? But I don’t think either of them should have been kicked out, honestly. Just let them go at it. Have you ever watched any Australian politics? That shit is wild. They just, like, go at it – it’s just like, how is this shit not more under control? Maybe it should just be like that.

Which alliterative epithet do you think David Cameron should be remembered by?

“D” and “C”?

Sure.

I mean, I think dodgy works? Dodgy Cunt?”

Thanks, Cal.

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