Wat Tyler over at the David Davis for Leader blog is becoming ever more desperate. In the Basher Bunker Blog its becoming bleak, allegations abound that the Tory establishment, MPs and the press are conspiring against his hero.

His plan to outwit the media conspiracy has a certain Blackadderesque cunning about it. He advises Davis supporters at the hustings to lie:

If you’re asked on the way in by a reporter who you support, say “undecided”. On the way out, find the same reporter and say “I was undecided, but now it’s definitely Davis.” And make your way round as many other reporters as possible with the same message.

If you feel confident, try the DC/DD conversion variant- “It was Cameron, but now it’s definitely Davis.”

Clearly Wat’s is a love that dare not speak its name. A little advice Wat, when advising on a covert, media manipulation strategy, don’t put it on a public blog…

“Whilst there were lots of tee shirted Cameron supporters at yesterday’s hustings in Leicester, it is not true to say that DD supporters were unrepresented, as the attached photo proves.” So writes councillor Graham Smith in an email. Just to show that Guido is being even handed, here on the left is the picture Graham sent and another pinched off ConservativeHome.com. Both show t-shirted supporters of the respective campaigns. Happy now?

Basher Davis is full of energy and fight, as you can see from this picture taken yesterday. Basher’s campaign team (when not getting lost in Leicester) is spinning that he is winning the battle of the hustings. But on the ground the evidence is that he has a distinct lack of campaigners. Young Cameron supporters in t-shirts greet hustings attendees, whereas Basher’s campaign desperately text-message requests for help with leafleting. Where are the troops with “DD for Me” emblazoned across their bust? Guido has registered on the Davis campaign website and enjoys receiving regular text messages – including pleas for help on the ground with the campaign. Chaps – Guido is doing all he can.

Wonk for Sale : This feature is in danger of becoming almost exclusively about Demos, but they really are the rent-a-wonks of the think-tank world. Their new seminar report “Mobilising Public Services” is about the brave new Blairite world of public services. From it Guido learns that the “mobile phone is the ultimate personal device“. Gems of insight like this must be worth the money mobile phone company 02 paid. Well that and recommending that local government uses text messages to communicate with citizens. 02 makes millions from text messaging…

Hague coming out for Cameron seems to have mortally undermined the spirit of Wat Tyler over at David Davis for Leader. Nothing before has put him off his enthusiasm, polls that gave Cameron as much as a 4 to 1 lead were dismissed as faulty, polls that gave him a mere 2 to 1 lead were also faulty. Now he talks about Cameron’s shadow-cabinet choices, the prospect of Tory show-trials in the search for a Clause 4 Moment. Its all so very depressing for Wat.

The Hague endorsement follows on the heels of Doc Fox’s prescription for Cameron, Clarke’s begrudging endorsement of wonder-boy as well as the media falling in behind Cameron. The Daily Mail’s endorsement was unexpected, but the Indy, Economist and Sunday Times were in the bag. The FT fell in when Clarke fell out of the race. The Toryraph is holding its vote, but you can bet that the Torygraph will give its blessing eventually. Boris at the The Speccie endorsed Cameron early and often, made him Parliamentarian of the Year and generally grovelled for a shadow-cabinet job.

It seems almost cruel to drag this out for another month, but the hustings may yet possibly produce some upsets. Expect tough “spontaneous” questions from the rank and file remnants of Basher’s support. Never mind, Wat can cheer himself up by looking forward to our pre-Christmas meal at Simpsons, the bill for which increasingly looks like being his…

Paxman really gave it to Basher, who to his credit, did not lose his cool under fire. It was brutal, but fun to watch. Cameron gets the same treatment Thursday…

Have received a note from David Dimbleby that David Willets (what is with all the Davids in politics nowadays?) will be on Question Time next week.

This could be the breakthrough we are looking for – a freed Two Brains could explain Basher’s tax policy to us. He will, admittedly, possibly have been brainwashed in captivity. But this could be fascinating…