Kite v Dale Round II : Melissa got Fisked and she didn’t like it. Tim Montgomerie and Alan Duncan get a swipe as well. Horrid Tory boys…

So says David Cameron, or at least that is the inference to be made from his blog about the use of the term “Islamist terrorists”.

It’s hard to over-emphasise the importance of language. I know it sounds like a side issue, but it isn’t. We are just not getting this right. Every time the BBC or a politician talks about “Islamist terrorists” they are doing immense harm..

Gove’s book, Celsius 7/7, refers to “Islamist terrorists” on almost every page. Guido has only read the reviews and very mixed they were. Guido’s strategy for dealing with the clash of civilisations utilises iPods, mini-skirt clad girls, Playboy, Jack Daniels & Coca Cola, Sony PlayStations and Ferraris in a kulturkampf to convince disaffected young male muslims of the superior attractions of Western values. Not sure if Gove advocated that kind of hearts and minds strategy, but it would be much more effective than lessons in civics or whatever it is that Blunkett and Reid advocate. Which strikes Guido as fundamentally misunderstanding the primal motivations of disaffected young males…

On the weekend the YouGov poll in the Sunday Times emphasised the electoral liability that Gordon is to Labour. When asked to choose between Cameron and Brown the voters prefer Dave more than when asked to choose between Labour and the Tories.

Today Populus in the Times* re-confirms the finding, when asked to choose between the parties it has the Tories 4% ahead, when asked to choose between the leaders the Tories are 10% ahead – exactly the same result as YouGov.

Putting the crude numbers into the electoral calculus translates that differential, the Brown Deficit, into 60 lost Labour marginal seats. Now you know why Guido says it is lemming-like to dispatch Blair for Brown…

*How the hell Peter Riddell and Philip Webster can spin the poll as positive for Brown is beyond Guido. What people will do for access. The headline is “A Bounce for Brown“. Maybe they mean a lemming-like bounce, with people even less likely to vote Labour when Brown is leader.

Whether or not Hilary Benn has only the rumoured twenty or so nominations will be known for a fact this tea-time (6pm) when the list of nominations received will be posted on the Labour party website. Expect leaks this afternoon…

We will also find out if Meacher’s backers are willing to switch to McDonnell. His price on Betfair has come in to 80/1. Guido backed him at 250/1, has covered all of it and some, with a free bet left if he gets through to cover. That is still a big if…