I really can't decide how I feel about this.

Part of me thinks that if he's going to write to the bereaved parents of soldiers, then he should make sure he's spelling their names properly (although in this case it's only "apparently misspelled") but the larger part of me thinks that it's good of him to take the time to write to each and every parent, he can't really help the state of his handwriting, or any issues he has with his eyesight and it's the thought that counts.

I'm sure that if he had form letters typed up and just signed them, then he would be accused of being callous and not really making the effort, but he hand writes every letter and whatever the state of his handwriting, having a go at him for something he can't help is a bit churlish. It's not as though a properly written letter would bring her son back, it's just a man, making an effort to be considerate.

I really can't decide how I feel about this.

Part of me thinks that if he's going to write to the bereaved parents of soldiers, then he should make sure he's spelling their names properly (although in this case it's only "apparently misspelled") but the larger part of me thinks that it's good of him to take the time to write to each and every parent, he can't really help the state of his handwriting, or any issues he has with his eyesight and it's the thought that counts.

I'm sure that if he had form letters typed up and just signed them, then he would be accused of being callous and not really making the effort, but he hand writes every letter and whatever the state of his handwriting, having a go at him for something he can't help is a bit churlish. It's not as though a properly written letter would bring her son back, it's just a man, making an effort to be considerate.

Does anyone else feel this is the first shot fired in the Sun's campaign to elect a Tory government at the next election?

Good on Gordon for writing each letter by hand. Sadly, his handwriting is not acceptable. The spin doctors have tried to pull the old "he's got eyesight problems" card, but if my handwriting is a pre-teen scrawl, I would generally have expected my senior staff to suggest a proper typed letter to which I can add personal comments if I wished.

They were suggesting on the BBC that a typed letter could appear to be a pro-forma, and would be more impersonal. Brown apparently wants to do this.

So... he wrote a letter to a soldiers mum, his handwriting isn't great, he may or may not have mis-spelt the guys name, (His name is Jamie, and James was written?) and the Sun would like his head on a spike.

Have I missed anything?

Give the guy a break already!