The Sunday Torygraph headlines Right-wingers back Cameron for leader in an article that has the smell of kite-flying about it. Melissa Kite, the deputy political editor, claims that Cornerstone are going to back Cameron because he is “more socially conservative” than people think. Guido doubts this story is entirely accurate. Andrew Rosindell forinstance would rather go to the Black Gay and Lesbian Socialist’s Christmas Party than back Cameron, Tombstone members are clearly not monolithic. Some of the headbangers loathe Davis with a vengance, some see the way the wind is blowing and are belatedly seeking preferment in the coming Cameron shadow cabinet. Some are backing him out of principle – the principle being that they want power and Cameron increases that prospect.

Cameron is no wet, he occupies neo-con territory on foreign affairs, he is resolutely Euro-sceptical (forget that youthful heretical memo to Lamont about the ERM, that was in the past and was a private mattter). The right has noticed he is up for re-negotiating the relationship with the EU and shifting Tory MEPs out of the “Quisling” EPP. He would privatise more council houses and cut taxes lower than Thatcher.

This has slowly seeped deep into the consciousness of the right. Guido was at a wonk-fest lunch on Friday at the Institute of Economic Affairs, the 50 year-old think-tank that spawned a thousand free-market wonks. Chatting to a Tory special adviser, a right-wing anti-Euro campaigner and an IEA staff member, the feeling was Cameron may not be one of us, but he might win. These are the people who hated John Major, the ideological die-hards of popular capitalism are just fed up with being powerless, which is why they have gone Cameroonie. Never mind the policy substance, feel the power surge.