Please like me! Cameron pays out for Facebook fans

DAVID CAMERON was last night mocked for his ‘endless ego’ after paying to win friends on Facebook.

Tory Party chiefs have spent thousands on advertisements on the social media site to encourage users to ‘like’ the Prime Minister’s page.

And the strategy has worked. Just over a month ago, Mr Cameron was almost 20,000 ‘likes’ behind Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg’s 80,000 – but now he has 127,000.

Facebook would not reveal details of the advertising deal, but marketing experts say the campaign would have cost about £7,500 of party funds. The bill is based on results, up to an agreed maximum, with Facebook charging about 50p per ‘like’.

Labour MP Sheila Gilmore said: ‘It looks as if David Cameron is buying popularity. There is no end to his ego, paying for fake Facebook friends.’

And a Lib Dem insider dismissed the strategy as ‘pretty pathetic’.

But the Tories said such campaigns were ‘above board’ and ‘common practice’ among businesses and American presidential candidates.

The controversy emerged after Mr Cameron was mocked for posting a picture of himself – shown left – on Facebook and Twitter looking grimfaced on the phone to Barack Obama as they discussed Ukraine last week.

The picture sparked parodies around the world, with Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart posting a photograph of himself holding a tub of wet wipes instead of a phone.