Hunt’s fox hunt stunt has not exactly gone to plan in the, er, hunt for Number 10. After desperate attempts to quell the row by releasing the transcript and late-night efforts to change the Telegraph headline, Hunt was like a fox on the run as he repeatedly performed screeching U-turns on the Today Programme. Hunt now says he was “just giving a straight answer to a straight question but the law is not going to change.” Which isn’t quite a straight-up reflection of what he said last night…

Hunt tries to escape questions about whether he personally thinks it’s cruel with the line that “my view is a matter of public record”, it’s not enough to save him from a hounding by the presenter. He repeatedly insists “this is not something I will seek to change as Prime Minister”, despite having told the Telegraph that he would hold a vote if a majority existed in Parliament for it and vote in favour of repealing it – and that it would even be part of his next general election manifesto. First abortion and now this, Hunt says he thinks the laws are wrong but doesn’t want to change them. Which makes you wonder why he even wants to lead…