Most of the world has heard of PigGate by now; the story of a biography titled Call Me Dave , written about British Prime Minister David Cameron by rival Lord Ashcroft and journalist Isabel Oakshotte, and covered by The Inquisitr . The particular story that sparked the controversy was an allegation (apparently by a current MP) that Cameron had placed a “private part of his anatomy” in a dead pig.
The story made headlines the world over, and other Conservative U.K. politicians jumped to… well, say that “boys will be boys” and “everyone does weird things at college” before falling all over themselves to change their story, later describing the book’s claims as “utter nonsense” and “untrue.” Not exactly a promising denial when the first counterblow is “everybody does it!” Downing Street (the colloquial nickname for the executive branch of the British government) has had nothing official to say about PigGate since it broke.
That said, David Cameron has finally spoken up publicly about PigGate.
As The Guardian is reporting, Cameron made a public statement about PigGate today, standing by the “denial” made by his close friends over the last week.
“I think everybody, everyone can see why the book was written and I think everyone can see straight through it. As for the specific issue raised, you know a very specific denial was made a week ago, and I’ve nothing to add to that.”
Now, we’re all a little curious to know which “very specific denial” Mr. Cameron is using here. Was it the one stating that this story is untrue? Or was it the one denying that there is anything wrong with sticking ones’ anatomy in dead pigs in college? We are all agog, Mr. Prime Minister.
In David Cameron’s defense, his bitter rivalry (or possibly more accurately, feud) with Lord Ashcroft is well-known. Ashcroft has had, in his words, a “personal beef” with Cameron since at least 2010, when Cameron, then newly-elected Prime Minster, denied Lord Ashcroft a ministerial job. Ashcroft, however, insists that the book (an unofficial biography about his rival, which he co-authored, which badly slams David Cameron, remember) is not about getting revenge.
As The Telegraph notes, Cameron specifically suggests that the book was written for exactly that purpose . Given the circumstances, it’s hard to fault that reasoning. What that still doesn’t address is whether the book is accurate or not.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mail is reporting that British MP Mark Field has been fingered as the unnamed MP in Call Me Dave who told the PigGate story; a claim he vociferously denies. He has also allegedly told friends that he will “track down” those responsible for the accusation.
“I regard any insinuation that I have done this as defamatory. I categorically deny it. I didn’t even know Cameron at university. I was never in the Piers Gaveston club.”
“I did speak to Isabel as part of her research for the book. She is an old friend. But at no stage did I discuss anything to do with Oxford. We only discussed matters post-2001.”
[Photo by Alan Davidson /WPA Pool / Getty Images]
