Mirror, Mirror on the wall.........

It is very rare that I'll comment specifically on a newspaper article, mainly because they are usually unremitting shite, but I can't let this one go without adding a few words. This is from the Mirror on Sunday 22nd May 2016. I'll be editing out a few bits simply because they get a bit arsey about people lifting whole articles, but it won't significantly alter the piece

Sharon Osbourne blasted by missing Madeleine McCann's parents after she brands them "insane" for leaving girl alone

Okay, let's start there. After listening to the clip, it's clear she refers to the course of action as ''insane'' and not the parents themselves. So that's one fib for starters. Also, who the fuck are they to be 'blasting' her, even if she had referred to them as insane? They're the ones who got themselves into this shitstorm. 

Kate and Gerry hit back at 'ignorant' 'Ill-informed' star after she accuses them on TV

What, precisely, is ignorant or ill-informed about her comments? Well, let's see, shall we?

Outspoken star Sharon Osbourne has been blasted by the parents of missing Madeleine McCann after she branded them “insane” for leaving their daughter alone.

Yes, we've done that.

Former X Factor judge Sharon made the hurtful claims on her US chat show The Talk as she criticised parents for leaving children without supervision.

Hurtful? Well, the truth hurts. Tough titties.

In a clear attack on Kate and Gerry McCann, Sharon said: “I will tell you a very quick story. There was a husband and wife on holiday in Portugal.

“They left their baby in the room sleeping, sleeping while they went to dinner in the restaurant.

“While they were in the resort their baby was taken. And it is like, ‘Oh but we can see everything that is going on’ and it is, like, insane.”

I see no attack. I see a brief account of what took place. She didn't even name them.

They did leave the children in their room, sleeping 

They did go to dinner

Their daughter did disappear at some point that evening

They did claim that they had full sight of the flat. That was a lie.

All I see is a perfectly factual description

The comments on Friday’s CBS show have outraged Kate and Gerry.

Have they? Have they really? Well, frankly, I don't give a shit. They seem to be outraged at everything that doesn't go their way, this pair

A family friend said: “It’s very ­disappointing when someone with such a high profile makes this sort of ­ignorant, ill-informed comment.

It isn't ignorant

It isn't ill-informed

It is absolutely accurate, according to the McCann's own statements

“She should think about the effect it could have on Madeleine’s brother and sister, as well as the wider family.

No, Mr and Mrs McCann. The only people responsible for the effect on the family are the two of you. Whatever happened to your daughter that night was precipitated or facilitated by your unfathomable parenting, so don't you dare blame others for the grief you have caused your relatives

“Kate and Gerry have never forgiven themselves and this should not have been aired in a random way, as it ­apparently was.

Nor should they ever forgive themselves. But they don't get to say when something is aired. The discussion was about parents leaving children home alone, like they did. If they didn't want to be part of the subject matter, they shouldn't have done it.

“It’s based on ignorance of the true facts. While she’s entitled to her view she should keep it to herself.”

It is not based on ignorance of the true facts. Those are the facts as recorded in their statements and reported by the Portuguese court

Of course she is entitled to her view and she is under NO obligation to keep it to herself. Who do you think you are? Do you think you can simply silence anyone who speaks about your case? You have a fucking nerve.

Maddie was snatched from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007, days before her fourth birthday and has never been found.

Kate and Gerry were with other parents at a restaurant a few hundred metres away and the adults took it in turns to pop back to check on their kids.

Sharon, 63, and her panellists were discussing a thread on Mumsnet social media site. A British woman had asked if parents would leave a 10-month-old child sleeping peacefully at home for seven minutes.

In the UK there is no legal minimum age below which it becomes an automatic offence to leave children home alone, but the advice of government and child welfare organisations is that babies and young children should NEVER be left home alone, not even for five minutes

Another questioned whether it was acceptable to leave a baby sleeping while they picked something up ­approximately 50 metres away.

Reacting to the suggestion, mum-of-three Sharon said: “This is insane. It is like so many things happen in just a second. If you leave a candle on and the curtain blows on it and it caught on fire.

Quite right

“And I think of all these scenarios in my head and there is no way in a million years that you would ever do that.”

Good. All caring, responsible parents would, I'm sure, agree with Sharon on that.

Kate and Gerry, of Rothley, Leics, have previously admitted being plagued by guilt over missing Maddie

Days after her abduction dad Gerry said: “Hindsight has proven we made a mistake and we would never leave the children again.”

So he acknowledges they were in the wrong

And as Kate launched her book, Madeleine, in 2011, Gerry said: “Blaming us takes it away from the abductor. Someone stole a child. Of course we feel guilt. But it doesn’t bring the child back. So we tried to take control of things you can influence, to help the search.”

Well, to be strictly accurate, we don't know what happened to Madeleine, do we? There was no witness to any 'abduction'. It's conceivable she got out of the apartment, wandered off and ended up in the sea or falling into a hole. The police have also considered other scenarios, that she met with an accident in the apartment and someone removed her body. Of course, none of those things could have happened had you been there

Kate said: “People say, ‘Why didn’t you get a babysitter?’ Having a babysitter implied there was a risk situation and we just didn’t see it like that.

Excuse me? When is it 'not necessary' to have a babysitter look after toddlers when you go out to dinner? 

Why does one engage a babysitter? To ensure there is someone to care for the children. To keep them safe. In case there is an emergency. In case they wake up and become distressed. To feed them, provide drinks or change nappies. To prevent abduction is well down on the list. Why? Because of all the things that could happen to an unsupervised child, that is one of the least likely

“We didn’t think it was necessary. It wasn’t to save money.”

You didn't think it was necessary? You didn't think it was necessary to have someone watch over three tiny infants and make sure they were okay? What do you normally do at home, Kate? Do you go out and leave the kids alone there?

But she later added: “It goes without saying that we now bitterly regret it.”

I bet you do. You've never urged others not to do it though, have you?

Cardiologist Gerry has also said: “Who’s thinking about child abductions in a little sleepy out-of-season tourist resort?

“It never entered our minds. We felt very safe — it was a family resort.

No, it probably wouldn't enter mine either - I'd be too busy worrying they might get out of bed, trip and fall, hurt themselves, try to run a bath and fall in, get into the kitchen and get hold of a knife, get out of the apartment through the door left unlocked and disappear into the street, get knocked down by a car, fall into the swimming pool.

So how come you weren't thinking of any of those dangers when you decided they were perfectly safe?

“At home you put your kids to bed and go off and do things about the house and garden and don’t think about it. 

At home, yes. You are still on the premises. 

“We were checking on our kids only metres away. 

100 metres, Gerry. With a swimming pool, a wall and a road in the way.

After, we were consumed with guilt. But we can’t change it.” 

No, you can't change it. But neither can you impose a worldwide opinion blackout because you don't like being reminded what you did

Sharon’s publicist was approached for comment but did not respond.

Probably just as well. So let me tell you what my response would be.

Sharon Osborne gave an accurate account of the lack of childcare provided for your three infants in Portugal.

You may not like it, but you have absolutely no right whatsoever to criticise her or try to silence her or anyone else, for that matter. As for saying she should keep her opinion to herself, my response to that would have been that I regard you as deeply irresponsible parents who are far more interested in your own reputations than you are in finding your daughter. I wouldn't let you look after a hamster, let alone a child.

I cannot imagine how you think these 'enraged' articles will help you. All they do is allow the world a little glimpse into your true character. It is not a pleasant experience.

One last thing - 

What is not generally known is that you decided you were going to leave the kids home alone and dine out before you even left these shores. Before you knew in which apartments you would be staying. Before you had seen the resort. Before you knew how far away the restaurant would be. Before you had any inkling how quiet or busy it would be. 

So don't give me all that ''it felt so safe'' bollocks. The decision was made before you landed in Portugal. You even tried to negotiate a discount because the resort didn't provide a baby listening service.