Gerri Peev: PM on Jade Goody tragedy

Gordon Brown has just been asked at the Downing St press conference about Jade Goody's battle with cervical cancer. While he paid tribute to the reality TV star's bravery, he missed an opportunity to urge women to ensure they go for a smear test. Slightly awkward topic for a mature male to raise but it is literally a matter of life and death. And there is still a discrepancy in treatment between England, where women are not screened routinely until they are 25 and Scotland, where tests are offered from age 20. Surely time to lower the age south of the border, given that Goody is only 27?