Broadcasters or politicians or writers who think that they are respecting Struggle Street the battlers by dumbing things down into one-line sound bites are not respecting them they are treating them with contempt. It's our job above all in politics to tackle the big issues and to explain them.

It seems that when you have cancer you are a brave battler against the disease but when you have Alzheimer's you are an old fart. That's how people see you. It makes you feel quite alone.