Authors make Cameron drugs claim (From Witney Gazette)

Authors make Cameron drugs claim

8:36am Monday 12th February 2007 in Witney By The Page Turner

DAVID Cameron's work for his Witney constituency will remain unaffected by the claim he took drugs as a teenage schoolboy, party aides insisted.

The issue of drug-taking returned to haunt the Witney MP at the weekend after it emerged that a new biography will say he was caught smoking cannabis as a 15-year-old at Eton.

Speaking to journalists outside his west Oxfordshire home yesterday, the Conservative Party leader said he was not issuing a denial.

He added: "Like many people, I did things when I was young that I regret but I do believe politicians are entitled to a past that is private so I will not be making any commentary on what is in the newspapers today.

"I do think you are entitled to a private past. I think that is an important principle and one that I am going to stand by."

Mr Cameron's spokesman George Eustace said the ensuing debate would not affect Mr Cameron's ability to continue "the huge amount of work" he has done for his constituents, or his ability to lead the Conservative Party.

He added: "He has transformed the party in the past 12 months. Politicians are entitled to a private past and he will not be commenting any further.

"I don't think people will be too concerned about what may have happened 25 years ago - they will judge David by what he stands for today."

Former pupils at Eton are understood to have told Francis Elliott and James Hanning, co-authors of the biography, how Cameron, then 15, was punished for a drug-related offence, thought to be the class-C drug cannabis.

The biography, Cameron: The Rise of the New Conservative, is set to to reveal how the teenager was "gated" - confined to school grounds as a punishment. He also had to copy out a lengthy passage of a Latin poem by Virgil.

Mr Eustace added that the Conservative Party wanted to see the reclassification of cannabis to a class-B drug after it was downgraded to class C because some strains of the drug were now so strong.

He added: "David is in favour of residential rehabilitation and tougher education against drugs. He has talked to children about how drugs have damaged their lives."

Oxford West and Abingdon MP Dr Evan Harris said he did not want to criticise Mr Cameron for the "indiscretions of youth" but added that it was "inconsistent" of the party leader to argue that smoking cannabis should still be an offence for other people, while not admitting it himself.

Tony Baldry, Conservative MP for Banbury, backed Mr Cameron's view that politicians were entitled to a private life before they became politicians.

Andrew Smith, MP for Oxford East, said: "I've been out on the doorstep in Barton today talking to my constituents and no-one has mentioned this."

Henley MP Boris Johnson and Wantage MP Ed Vaizey were unavailable for comment.

David Harvey, Conservative councillor for West Oxfordshire District Council, said: "The support for David Cameron will remain as strong as ever. I think most people will be able to take a realistic view of what he did when he was 15."

Chrissie Curry, Mayor of Witney, added: "If David Cameron told me he had had a spliff or two last week then that would be horrendous but of course that's not the case.

"Show me a 15-year-old who won't step out of line because he thinks he might become Prime Minister one day."