British Prime Minsiter David Cameron defended Wednesday his decision to take part in a “selfie” with President Obama and the Danish prime minister during Nelson Mandela’s memorial service.

During the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons Wednesday afternoon, Liberal Democrat MP Martin Horwood, challenged Mr. Cameron over the incident that went viral worldwide. “Has the Prime Minister had the opportunity to discuss international mobile phone usage with any other European heads of government over the last day or so?” Mr. Horwood asked.

“You could say, in a roundabout way,” Mr. Cameron joyously responded. “Perhaps in my defense, you should always remember that the television cameras are always on.”

“But in my defense I would say that Nelson Mandela played an extraordinary role in his life and in his death in bringing people together. So of course when a member of the Kinnock family asked me for a photograph, I thought it was only polite to say yes,” he added.

Asked whether Mr Cameron felt that his actions were inappropriate, the Prime Minister’s spokesman earlier said, “I think what the Prime Minister would say about yesterday is it was very much a celebration of Nelson Mandela and his life and his achievements. I am sure many of us were watching the pictures from it and I think it did come across, and rightly so, as a marking and a celebration of Mr Mandela’s life. You had plenty of words from the Prime Minister and leaders from around the world that attest to that.””

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)