In his days as a Guardian Unlimited columnist, David Cameron could often be spotted sneaking around Tory party conferences with a crafty fag.
Not any more. As of the start of the year, Dave has quit the evil weed, he revealed today. Like Tony Blair before him, the Tory leader has decided that ciggies and clean-living just don't go together. He today told GMTV:
"Anyone out there who is trying to give up, it took me several goes, it is a big struggle. I used the patches but they did work for me and it is great. You do get up out of bed in the morning, you feel better, you feel fitter, you feel healthier."
Not coincidentally, today's conference "hot topic" in Bournemouth was "alcohol does more damage than drugs". Despite hearing from recovering alcoholic, "free the weed" campaigner and former Independent editor Rosie Boycott on the evils of booze, the blue-rinse brigade still voted, like yesterday on cheap flights, against the motion two to one.
Ms Boycott, who led the Independent's campaign to legalise cannabis, said: "If my teenage daughter was in a back alley and she bumped into six young men who'd either consumed 25 cans of Special Brew or smoked a few joints which would I rather happen?
"I have to say I'd rather she met the guys who smoked the joints because the chances are they'd just fall over rather than try to rape her or mug her."
