Pubdate: Sat, 15 Oct 2005
Source: Independent  (UK)
Contact:  2005 Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd.
Website: http://www.independent.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/209
Author: Andrew Grice, Political Editor

UNDER-FIRE CAMERON ADMITS CLOSE RELATIVE SUFFERS HEROIN ADDICTION

Under-fire Cameron admits close relative suffers heroin addiction

David Cameron has admitted that a close relative has been through a
"dreadful problem" with drugs.

The 39-year-old favourite in the Tory leadership race, who has been dogged
by questions about whether he has used soft or hard drugs, also came under
further pressure yesterday to clear the air about any personal experiences
with drugs. David Davis, his nearest rival in the Tory race, raised the
stakes by saying that he did not believe someone who had taken Class A drugs
should become the party's leader or Prime Minister. "It's a breach of the
law so if it was recent, the answer would be no," he told tonight's Morgan
and Platell programme on Channel 4.

Mr Davis added that politicians should give a straight answer to straight
questions. "The whole idea of drugs makes me nervous," he said. "Because,
well, I just don't like the idea of taking drugs. I never have and I don't
like it."

Mr Cameron has refused to confirm or deny that he used soft drugs as a
student but said last weekend: "I did lots of things before I came into
politics that I shouldn't have done."

Supporters accused his rivals in the leadership election of "dirty tricks"
by encouraging the media to harry him over the issue. They claimed that one
senior right-wing MP had said: "We are going to stuff him on drugs."

On Monday, Mr Cameron told sixth-form students: "I have seen people close to
me have a very difficult time and wreck their lives through drugs."
Yesterday Mr Cameron issued a statement after a newspaper reported that a
member of his family was being treated for heroin addiction. The London
Evening Standard reported that his relative was undergoing treatment at a
clinic in South Africa after attempts at therapy and rehabilitation in
Britain failed.

Mr Cameron said the individual had now been through rehabilitation and that
he was "incredibly proud" of the way the person had come through their
problems.

"Someone very close in my family has had a dreadful problem with drugs," he
said. "They have come through it, been through rehabilitation, and I'm
incredibly proud of them. Their life has nothing to do with my candidature
for the leadership of the Conservative Party. Many families will have had a
similar experience, and they and I know full well the damage drugs can do. I
hope now that this person can be left alone. I won't comment further on this
story."

The unlikely issue of drugs has moved to the centre of the Tory leadership
election and was raised at two hustings meetings addressed by the four
candidates this week. With the first ballot of Tory MPs taking place next
Tuesday, senior Tories believe that any further controversy could undermine
Mr Cameron's prospects. "It's the one thing that could cost him the prize,"
one said.

But the Cameron camp is optimistic that he will survive the storm, and win
the backing of more than 40 MPs in Tuesday's ballot. The Davis camp claims
the backing of 67, Kenneth Clarke 23 and Liam Fox 20.

The candidate who comes bottom on Tuesday will be eliminated. Another will
go in the second round on Thursday. The two remaining contenders then go
into a ballot of the party's 300,000 members.

Many Tory MPs believe the run-off will be between Mr Davis, the early
front-runner, and Mr Cameron. But the Clarke and Fox camps insist the race
is still wide open. There are growing fears among his supporters that Mr
Clarke will fail in his third attempt to become Tory leader because he risks
being eclipsed by Mr Cameron as the main standard-bearer of party moderates.

Yesterday the 65-year-old former chancellor mounted a direct attack on Mr
Cameron's relative lack of experience. He said: "He hasn't been in national
politics. He's been in the House of Commons for four years but he's never
actually played any role in national politics."

Mr Clarke added: "One speech and a fortnight's publicity and he's up there
as a prime minister candidate. There are quite a few weeks to go yet so
people will almost certainly reflect on this coming from nowhere."

But Keith Hellawell, the Government's former drugs tsar, said Mr Cameron
should come clean about his past. "It matters because now the public is
interested in knowing whether this man was involved in drugs in the past,"
he said.

Yesterday Mr Davis promised that the Tories would be "back in business" in
the cities if he wins the leadership. Speaking in Bradford, he said: "The
modern Conservative Party doesn't exist to protect privilege or preside over
the status quo. Our mission is to change Britain and improve lives - and we
will begin in the cities, where the hope of change has been absent for too
long."
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MAP posted-by: Josh