British Prime Minister Apologizes for Tourette’s Comments

Posted January 8th, 2012 at 12:55 am (UTC-5)
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Britain's prime minister has issued an apology after comparing heckling from a senior lawmaker to “having someone with Tourette's sitting opposite you.”

David Cameron made the comment about Ed Balls, the opposition's shadow chancellor, in an interview in a British newspaper – The Sunday Telegraph.

Balls' gestures and comments have become a fixture of the prime minister's weekly grilling in the House of Commons.

Downing Street officials said Mr. Cameron's remarks were made “off the cuff.” A spokesman said the prime minister apologizes if anyone was offended by his comments.

Tourette's syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent involuntary movements, and sometimes vocal tics, including grunts, barks or words, especially obscenities.