Tories divide 69:29 saying hard drugs should not be a barrier

The absence of bad stories in the Sunday papers and a new opinion poll have led to heavy betting on David Cameron this morning. On the market sensitive Betfair exchange his price has tightened from 0.85/1 to 0.72/1 while the betting recovery on David Davis has been reversed.

For the last few days there has been a strong view that today’s papers, particularly the Mail on Sunday, could be crucial ahead of the MPs first ballot on Tuesday. Well the MoS does plaster a story over its front page under the banner headline “Tories for Cameron – even if he has taken cocaine”.

This refers to a BPIX poll which is not available online (buy the paper like me – it cost £1.30) which shows that the Tories under Cameron would would do 4% better against Labour than under Ken Clarke and 8% better than under David Davis or Liam Fox.

Cameron’s refusal to say whether he has taken drugs is backed by 54-37% by Tory supporters who divide 29% YES to 69% NO to the suggestion that a candidate who has taken hard drugs should step down.

The paper’s editorial sticks with the Mail Group’s line that he should come clean and notes, “…. Mr Cameron appears to have the mysterious gift of invulnerability, handed out by a capricious fate to a lucky few. He shines under almost all circumstances. Pelted with clods of mud, he emerges smooth, unspotted and smiling, to the rage of his enemies.”

The Indy on Sunday also has a poll this morning showing a benefit to the Tories under Cameron than Davis – though its size is smaller. The survey, by Communicate Research, is of little value because it asks respondents whether they would vote Labour of Tory without giving the option of the Liberal Democrats or any other party.

Given that at the last election nearly a third of all voters did not opt for Labour or the Tories the Indy’s approach is a nonsense.

Mike Smithson