There was a quiet mention last Friday of Dave’s Christmas plans. Ephraim Hardcastle reported “friends of the Prime Minister say he plans to take his family to Thailand, where he will enjoy the hospitality of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.” Eton and Oxford educated Vejjajiva is a contemporary of both Cameron and Boris, although the Mail played a straight bat others were quick to notice Dave’s old school chum’s atrocious human right record and willingness to employ emergency powers at the drop of a hat. The little matter of a coup d’etat against a democratically elected government and the shooting by snipers of dozens of peace protesters in May. Strangely there was nothing in print though…

Guido understands that at a number of Sunday papers were ready to question how appropriate it is for Cameron to be kissing under the mistletoe and sharing turkey with such a controversal figure, even if they did know each from school, but the Downing Street machine had other ideas. Andy Coulson and Henry Macrory deployed the security line to put off at least one Mirror hack from filing their piece. Apparently, despite the news of the visit already appearing in print, the PM and his family would be at risk if the Sundays picked it up. Yes, of course, that’s why they didn’t want the story running. An heir to Blair indeed…