Call Me Dave: Downing Street 'does not recognise' allegations about David Cameron in Lord Ashcroft book

'Debauchery' claims: Downing St has refuse to comment on claims about the Prime Minister made in a new book
Reuters
Robin de Peyer21 September 2015
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Downing Street has said it does not recognise a string of allegations made in a new book by peer Lord Ashcroft about David Cameron's lifestyle during his time as a student at Oxford.

The Tories' former party treasurer Lord Ashcroft makes a series of allegations about a young Mr Cameron in his upcoming unauthorised book Call Me Dave.

The book claims Mr Cameron was part of a decadent Oxford University dining society and was present at events where drugs were taken.

It claims Mr Cameron also smoked cannabis with friends who nicknamed themselves the Flam Club while at Oxford.

When asked about taking cannabis previously, Mr Cameron has simply said that he had a “normal university experience”.

Downing Street has declined to comment on its contents, which are likely to cast a shadow over the Conservatives' upcoming annual conference in Manchester.

The book is co-written by former Sunday Times political editor Isabel Oakeshott.

In the book, due to be published next month, Lord Ashcroft says he has a personal "beef" with the Prime Minister after his failure to offer him a significant job in his administration following the formation of the coalition government in 2010.

He claimed the PM initially blamed Liberal Democrat coalition partners for blocking his appointment, before offering him a junior role at the Foreign Office which the peer described as "declinable", adding: "It would have been better had Cameron offered me nothing at all."

Asked about Lord Ashcroft's allegations at a press conference during his visit to China, Chancellor George Osborne said only: "I haven't seen that book."

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron told Sky News that the allegations were "extraordinary claims" but they were "a bit of a sideshow".

He said: "The reality is we respect people's right to a private life and a past. The critical thing in all of this is that those of us who are in politics mustn't be hypocrites."

Lord Ashcroft claims that as early as 2009 he spoke with Mr Cameron about how to delay revealing his "non-dom" tax status until after the following year's election.

This contradicts a Conservative assertion at the time when the controversial status became known in 2010 that Mr Cameron had been told only a month before.

Lord Ashcroft later gave up his non-dom position, which allowed him to avoid tax on overseas earnings, in order to retain his place on the Conservative benches in the Lords.

He wrote a highly-critical report on Mr Cameron's handling of the 2010 election campaign and eventually retired his parliamentary seat ahead of this year's general election.

He has remained highly active in the political world as an opinion pollster and commentator.

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