Pubdate: Sun, 16 Oct 2005
Source: Scotland On Sunday (UK)
Copyright: 2005 The Scotsman Publications Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.scotlandonsunday.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/405
Author: Eddie Barnes, Political Editor
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

CAMERON REVEALS RIVAL'S HYPOCRISY OVER DRUGS WAR

DAVID Davis ordered Conservative MPs not to answer questions about their 
drugs past 18 months ago - directly contradicting his call for leadership 
rival David Cameron to come clean on narcotics.

Scotland on Sunday has been passed a dossier by insiders close to Cameron 
which they claim proves Davis has behaved "hypocritically" in the Tory 
leadership race. The contest has become engulfed by the question of 
Cameron's alleged drug-taking.

The dossier was drawn up by Davis in January 2004 when the then Home 
Secretary David Blunkett said that politicians should answer the drugs 
question.

Davis ordered a research brief to be compiled on how senior Labour figures, 
including Tony Blair, had refused to answer the question. His aim was to 
make it easier for Tory shadow ministers to defend their own stance of 
non-compliance. The brief was then handed out to Tory MPs.

Davis's past line contrasts with the position he put forward on TV 
yesterday, in which he said that politicians should answer questions about 
their drug use.

Repeatedly pointing out that he had never taken drugs, he was then asked 
whether politicians should give "straight answers to straight questions". 
He replied: "Yes."

The about-turn has now been seized upon by the Cameron camp, many of whom 
are furious at what they see as attempts by some of Davis's followers to 
exploit the questions facing Cameron.

One source close to Cameron claimed yesterday that two MPs linked to Davis 
had been heard discussing that they would "stuff Cameron on drugs".

Asked whether Davis was behaving like a hypocrite, the insider said: "You 
might say that. As little as 18 months ago everyone was saying that we 
should say nothing on drugs, including David Davis. Now that has changed 
all of a sudden."

Relations between the two men who are thought most likely to become the 
next Tory leader are increasingly bitter. The first ballot of the four 
contenders - Cameron, Davis, Ken Clarke and Liam Fox - will be conducted on 
Tuesday, with the party's MPs voting. The candidate with the lowest number 
of votes will drop out, before another vote reduces the race down to a 
straight head-to-head. Then the Conservative party members will cast the 
final vote.

Cameron has faced massive scrutiny over his past over the past week but has 
so far refused to say whether he used drugs as a youngster.

On Friday, he was forced to confirm reports that a close member of his 
family was now in rehabilitation after having become addicted to heroin.

Former drugs tsar Keith Halliwell was among those yesterday calling for 
Cameron to give a clear answer to the question of his drug taking. "It 
matters because now the public is interested in knowing whether this man 
was involved in drugs in the past," he said. "To deny it or try and avoid 
the question or not answer the question, I think, only raises in the 
public's mind, 'Is this man truthful?'

"I think it does matter to the public to know what excesses people have 
been involved in in the past. I think it goes to the credibility of the man."

However, a new poll suggests that the 39-year-old's public appeal has not 
been affected by the storm over drugs.

A poll of 1,500 conducted by RPIX at the weekend found that Cameron was the 
only one of the four candidates who would stand a chance of beating Labour 
if he were made leader.

Labour's lead with Cameron as Opposition leader would be only 3% compared 
with 9% under Clarke and 13% under Fox or Davis.

The survey also found that two-thirds of Tory voters believed that having 
taken class A drugs should not force any candidate out of the race.

Many Conservative MPs supportive of Davis are now understood to be wavering 
and may transfer their support to Cameron in the secret ballot if he 
remains unscathed.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom