David Cameron is understood to have told friends that claims he once put his genitals in a dead pig’s mouth are “utter nonsense”.
The allegations are among a number included in a new biography of the Prime Minister by the former deputy Conservative party chairman Lord Ashcroft and journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who write in Call Me Dave that Mr Cameron was a member of the exclusive Piers Gaveston Society while studying at Oxford University, which is said to have involved “bizarre rituals and sexual excess”.
Publicly Mr Cameron has refused to “dignify” the allegations with a response, but he has told those close to him that he was never a member of the elite Piers Gaveston Society at Oxford University.
The allegations were made in a new biography of David Cameron co-authored by prolific Tory donor Lord Ashcroft
The book, due to be published next month, quotes a “distinguished Oxford contemporary”, who is now an MP, recalled how Mr Cameron took part in an “outrageous” initiation
“His extraordinary suggestion is that the future PM inserted a private part of his anatomy into the animal’s mouth,” an excerpt published by the Daily Mail reported. However, the MP reportedly states that he had not seen any evidence himself and that it could be a case of mistaken identity.
David Cameron's biggest controversies
Extracts from the inflammatory book also included claims that he smoked cannabis with friends, allowed cocaine in his London home and alleged that he misled the public over the non-dom status of Lord Ashcroft, a prolific Tory donor.
Lord Ashcroft and Mr Cameron fell out after the Tory leader failed to make good on an alleged promise to give Lord Ashcroft a top job once he became Prime Minister in 2010. The new biography is seen by some as an act of revenge after years of feuding between the pair.
Asked about allegations made in the book, the Prime Minister's spokeswoman said: “I’m not intending to dignify this book by offering any comment or any PM reaction to it."
She added that the author "has set out his reasons for writing it,” suggesting the Prime Minister views the book as an act of revenge for his refusal to offer Lord Ashcroft a top job when he entered Downing Street in 2010.
George Osborne, the Chancellor, also refused to comment on the extraordinary claims, published in a new biography of the Prime Minister by the former Conservative deputy chairman Lord Ashcroft and journalist Isabel Oakeshott, Call Me Dave.
Asked by reporters during his trip to China what he made of the claims, he simply said: "I haven't seen that book".
Watch Mr Osborne's response below:
Lord Ashcroft and Mr Cameron fell out after the Tory leader failed to make good on an alleged promise to give Lord Ashcroft a top job once he became Prime Minister in 2010. The new biography is seen by some as an act of revenge after years of feuding between the pair.
The book accuses David Cameron of being part of a debauched group called the Piers Gaveston Society, as well as the infamous Bullingdon Club, during his time at Oxford.
However one of the group's Valentine Guinness, said allegations Mr Cameron took part in such obscene behaviour was "a ridiculous story".
He told the Spectator: "As far as I know David Cameron was never a member of the Piers Gaveston Society, so there would have been no need for an initiation ceremony. He may well have attended one of their parties, but the pig’s head story is purely malicious gossip."
The book also contains allegations that smoked cannabis with university friends who nicknamed themselves the "Flam Club", and later later allowed cocaine at his home in London.
