Can Cameron ride out this Tory tempest?

CAN David Cameron be blamed for the alleged wrongdoing of his controversial election aide Mark Clarke, banned for life by the Tories and now accused of trying to leak a sex video to the media as part of a blackmail plot?

Yes, because he appointed a university chum, Andrew Feldman, as chairman of the Conservative Party, instead of choosing a political professional who is likely to have dealt more swiftly with complaints about Clarke.

One of Clarke’s alleged victims says that, after he refused to pay a £2,500 blackmail demand, a video of him performing a sex act was posted on Facebook. He has told police and Tory officials he believes that Clarke was responsible for the film.

The former Young Conservative activist denies this, but has admitted trying to expose the film in the media... to prevent such scams!

Clarke is also accused of bullying a young activist colleague until he took his own life, and of trying to entrap a female Conservative worker into being filmed snorting cocaine after she was plied with alcohol. Prime Ministers are disliked when they are seen to favour friends on whom they rely. Having ennobled Feldman, Cameron must feel he has to support him now, even if evidence emerges that the party chairman failed to get on top of the Clarke affair.

Cameron doesn’t have another general election to fight. So he can probably ride out this row, especially when there’s the distraction of a war against Islamic State brewing.

But if Feldman is found to be wanting, Cameron should jettison him rather than harm the party’s reputation.