59% say Cameron would offer the Tories a fresh start. 51% of those surveyed said Basher had no style, only 19% thought he looked like a potential prime minister. Overwhelmingly Cameron is seen as a bold man (43%) of the future (67%) with self confidence (45%).

The TV debate hasn’t really affected people’s thinking. Now Basher’s increasingly desperate team believe they have to play dirty. Far from the drugs issue not being used, despite Davis publicly and piously instructing them, its the only issue that his spin and smear team thinks it can bash Cameron with in the hope that a skeleton will rattle out into the press. Alas, in the words of the song “the drugs don’t work”.

He gets to keep the shares, but he’ll be moving out of the £3m Belgravia grace and favour pad. I suspect that his secretarial support has been reduced as well, judging by the latest official statement Guido has just received from Mr Blunkett:

Guido’s new think-tank feature Wonk for Sale (October 21) mentioned Demos and its IKEA furniture linked to a published policy paper. As so often happens with this blog, the Guardian’s Backbencher picked up on it on October 26.

“Would you like a think-tank to write about your product? Hey, would you like a think-tank to endorse your product in exchange for a fee? If so, have you thought about approaching Demos? “How can values-based products make the transition from the niche to mass market?” asks the latest Demos newsletter. “Why does increasing awareness rarely lead to changes in our consumption patterns?” Why indeed? If only our great thinkers had tackled that paradox. “This project will explore how Collaborative Brands can help values-based products make the transition, by connecting large numbers of individuals through a brand…”

Next week, unlike Guido, the Backbencher (November 2) backed down;

“With reference to the item about Demos in last week’s edition, the think-tank has asked the Backbencher to make it clear that it is “plain wrong” to imply that it offers product endorsement in return for payment.”

Oh yeah? Look at this selection of sponsors logos taken from their website,:-
As wonk-whores go, Demos flaunt it, one outrageous example: The Politics of Bandwidth: Network innovation and regulation in broadband Britain published by Demos, funded by Cable & Wireless. It recommended the break up of bitter rival BT and that the BT local loop be run not-for-profit. If you can’t beat em in the market-place, get a government friendly think-tank to recommend destroying ‘em.

Demos has a reputation for policy prostitution, so why did Backbencher back down? Guido reckons Demos have got away with writing sponsor-friendly press releases for too long. Think-tanks need to distance themselves from donors to have any credibility, otherwise they are just PR houses writing press releases.

Send writs and more blatant examples of wonk-whoring here.

Tension is mounting in the MSM, lazy journalists everywhere are wondering if they could be the inaugral recipient. Could my fellow award committee members Recess Monkey and Tim Worstall, get in touch.

Expect an announcement soon.

Guido has just got back from Cameron’s morning press conference on Millbank. (Yes, Guido Fawkes still finds his way round Westminster easily, despite the new security measures). Dave looked tired, but the sunbed sessions obviously help.

This morning’s unscripted meet-the-people session was with non-Tory voters who had contacted Cameron via his website. They were all 30somethings, that is very noticeable about Cameron’s grassroots appeal, they are younger. Davis appeals more to older, core right-wing activists (not to say he does not have youthful support, but its ideological, not based on personality or charisma). Davis does not appeal beyond the Tory hardcore.

Last night Davis was playing to the core-vote activists, Cameron was playing to the country. Davis was appealing to older more reactionary impulses, Cameron to younger more liberal values.

On a touchstone issue – drugs – Cameron to his credit did not trim his position by command of the Daily Mail. All serious observers know that classing cannabis, ecstasy and heroin in the same category is ridiculous. The Guardian repeatedly claims that Guido has some expertise in this department, as do the majority of people in this country – millions of people every weekend do recreational drugs. We think that jailing university students for smoking dope is madness, telling them that ecstasy and heroin are equally dangerous flys in the face of what they know to be true. We need a rational drugs policy because the one we have is not working, Cameron has the courage to say that, when it would be much easier to just take the reactionary Daily Mail line like Davis. That policy has failed, the evidence is clear for all to see and expert opinion based on research confirms it.

Basher’s reactionary hardline on drugs shows he is out of touch with the reality of today’s Britain, but it plays well to the Tory gallery, but that won’t win a general election. Nor is it the right policy. When half the shadow cabinet and most of the government (including the home secretary) have dabbled in drugs at some point, what is the point of a pretend policy that does not work with the law ignored by millions of voters? Young voters are turned off by that kind of hypocrisy.

“You know my views” says Basher, but lets not go in to this… Cameron sticks to his line. Wants liberal, evidence based commonsense policy on drugs. Davis says you’ll go mad if you smoke a spliff. Some old codger gives young Dave a stiff talking to and a piece of his mind.

Davis says “in my case the horrible stories are already published”. Whatever does he mean? Davis takes credit for Blunkett’s first resignation. Cameron says he wouldn’t be here if there was a terrible secret to be revealed.

“Stage managed comfort zone” jibe booed but Cameron flinched. Davis is surprisingly fluent, the coaching is showing. Errr count still low, averaging only 1 per question. Cameron knocks detailed tax plans, Davis keeps repeating two words “tax cuts”.