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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Cameron defiant over drug claims | Cameron defiant over drug claims |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Conservative leader David Cameron has refused to deny claims he smoked cannabis while he was a pupil at Eton College 25 years ago. | Conservative leader David Cameron has refused to deny claims he smoked cannabis while he was a pupil at Eton College 25 years ago. |
| Mr Cameron, 40, admitted he had done things in his past he "should not have done", but insisted politicians were entitled to a "private past". | Mr Cameron, 40, admitted he had done things in his past he "should not have done", but insisted politicians were entitled to a "private past". |
| The book, serialised in the Independent on Sunday, says Mr Cameron was one of several boys caught smoking cannabis. | The book, serialised in the Independent on Sunday, says Mr Cameron was one of several boys caught smoking cannabis. |
| Mr Cameron, who was aged 15, confessed and was grounded. | Mr Cameron, who was aged 15, confessed and was grounded. |
| Some of the other boys were expelled. | Some of the other boys were expelled. |
| CANNABIS STATUS: 1982 Cannabis was classified under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as a Class B drugUnder 18s could be arrested and given a formal warning for possessionUp to 5 years in jail for possessionUp to 14 years in jail for supplying or dealing | |
| Speaking outside his home on Sunday morning Mr Cameron said: "Like many people I did things when I was young that I should not have done, and that I regret. | Speaking outside his home on Sunday morning Mr Cameron said: "Like many people I did things when I was young that I should not have done, and that I regret. |
| "But I do believe that politicians are entitled to a past that is private, and that remains private, so I won't be making any commentary on what is in the newspapers today." | "But I do believe that politicians are entitled to a past that is private, and that remains private, so I won't be making any commentary on what is in the newspapers today." |
| A Conservative Party spokesman said: "David has always maintained politicians have a right to a private life before they come into politics." | A Conservative Party spokesman said: "David has always maintained politicians have a right to a private life before they come into politics." |
| He pointed out that the alleged incident happened almost 25 years ago. | He pointed out that the alleged incident happened almost 25 years ago. |
| Honesty | Honesty |
| Shadow chancellor and close Cameron ally George Osborne said he suspected "the public don't really care". | Shadow chancellor and close Cameron ally George Osborne said he suspected "the public don't really care". |
| He argued Mr Cameron had maintained a "consistent position" on an "important principle" of figures in public life being allowed to have had a private past. | He argued Mr Cameron had maintained a "consistent position" on an "important principle" of figures in public life being allowed to have had a private past. |
| CANNABIS STATUS: 2006 On 29 January 2004, cannabis was reclassified from a Class B to a Class C drug in the UKUnder 18s can be arrested and given a formal warningUp to 2 years in jail for possessionUp to 14 years in jail for supplying or dealing Police are more likely to confiscate the drug and give a warning, rather than arrest a person for possession | |
| "David Cameron has made tackling the drug problem one of the big themes of his leadership," he added. | "David Cameron has made tackling the drug problem one of the big themes of his leadership," he added. |
| The book - Cameron, The Rise Of The New Conservative - will also be serialised in the Mail on Sunday next month. | The book - Cameron, The Rise Of The New Conservative - will also be serialised in the Mail on Sunday next month. |
| Both papers report that school authorities called the police to investigate drug use among the pupils. | Both papers report that school authorities called the police to investigate drug use among the pupils. |
| Because he had smoked cannabis and not sold it, Mr Cameron was not expelled or suspended like several other boys, the book alleges. | Because he had smoked cannabis and not sold it, Mr Cameron was not expelled or suspended like several other boys, the book alleges. |
| Instead, he was fined, grounded for two weeks and given the school's traditional punishment of a "Georgic" - copying out hundreds of lines of Latin poetry, according to the book. | Instead, he was fined, grounded for two weeks and given the school's traditional punishment of a "Georgic" - copying out hundreds of lines of Latin poetry, according to the book. |
| Throughout his leadership campaign in 2005, Mr Cameron declined to answer questions about drug taking when they were put to candidates. | Throughout his leadership campaign in 2005, Mr Cameron declined to answer questions about drug taking when they were put to candidates. |
| He repeatedly stressed he had a right to a private past and refused to answer them. | He repeatedly stressed he had a right to a private past and refused to answer them. |
| Mr Cameron was initially asked at a fringe meeting at the 2005 Conservative party conference if he had ever taken drugs. | Mr Cameron was initially asked at a fringe meeting at the 2005 Conservative party conference if he had ever taken drugs. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY I really don't think someone getting told off while a schoolboy is particularly newsworthy Jason Hood, Nottingham Send us your comments He told the meeting he had had a "typical student experience", later adding: "I did lots of things before I came into politics which I shouldn't have done. We all did." | HAVE YOUR SAY I really don't think someone getting told off while a schoolboy is particularly newsworthy Jason Hood, Nottingham Send us your comments He told the meeting he had had a "typical student experience", later adding: "I did lots of things before I came into politics which I shouldn't have done. We all did." |
| Later that same year on BBC One's Question Time, he said everybody was allowed to "err and stray" in their past. | Later that same year on BBC One's Question Time, he said everybody was allowed to "err and stray" in their past. |
| Former Conservative Party chairman Lord Tebbit told BBC News 24 the claims would not do Mr Cameron much good with Tory activists. | Former Conservative Party chairman Lord Tebbit told BBC News 24 the claims would not do Mr Cameron much good with Tory activists. |
| "On the whole, I've always thought that it was better to be pretty honest about things," he said. | "On the whole, I've always thought that it was better to be pretty honest about things," he said. |
| "Because, sooner or later the truth of the matter tends to come out, and it's always better to have brought it out yourself rather than have somebody else bring it out." | "Because, sooner or later the truth of the matter tends to come out, and it's always better to have brought it out yourself rather than have somebody else bring it out." |
| Last month, Mr Cameron said he opposed making cannabis legal but would be "relaxed" about legalising it for medicinal use if there was evidence of its health benefits. | Last month, Mr Cameron said he opposed making cannabis legal but would be "relaxed" about legalising it for medicinal use if there was evidence of its health benefits. |