"GAY SMEARS AND ME, BY TORY HOPEFUL"
That's the front page headline in today's Evening Standard. For many years Dr Fox, 44 and now engaged to Dr Jesme Baird, has been subject to rumours that he has had a gay past and that he has been a promiscuous heterosexual. Interviewed for today's Standard Dr Fox refuses to discuss his past:
"If someone accused me of doing something against the law I might feel bound to answer it. Otherwise I would have no comment to make. If you start getting into that, all sorts of areas open up and I think you are entitled to a private life."
Dr Fox continued:
"I know that some people use smears and I have heard them for many years. They say, 'Why are you not married?' You must be a playboy or a wild man or gay', or whatever. Well I'm getting married in December and I'm perfectly happy with my private life and it remains my private life. It's perfectly clear that Jesme and I are very much in love with each other. I'm not going into that smear territory."
It's not clear how this will play for Dr Fox ahead of today's parliamentary vote. On the face of it, the story will slow any momentum he had. Elsewhere in The Standard an unnamed Fox aide is quoted as saying that they have not done enough to overtake Mr Davis. I have had that confirmed to me. There is also unhappiness, however, in the Commons Tea Room at the behaviour of two Davis supporters who have been 'promoting' the Evening Standard story to colleagues.
WARNING: I WILL BAN ANYONE WHO USES THE THREAD BELOW TO MAKE UNSUBSTANTIATED ALLEGATIONS. I HAVE BANNED TWO IP ADDRESSES ALREADY TODAY. ONE FOR POSTING SOMETHING FALSE AND ANOTHER FOR HATEFUL ANTI-GAY REMARKS. I WON'T HESITATE TO DO SO AGAIN.
Are the Davis campaign team out to cement the damage caused by their attmept to capitlaise on the drugs issue?
Posted by: James Hellyer | 20 October 2005 at 11:47
This shockingly disgusting smear attempt has made me positive that Mr Davis must have been responsible for the Cameron Drugs thing. I hope that like that campaign it fails to damage but give publicity and support for the victim. I am sure Dr. Fox is blameless of the accusation, but quite frankly i couldn't care less what happened in his past. Davis should be ashamed of the low tactics he has used in this campaign. The rest of us should unite to ensure David Davis is relegated to history.
Posted by: [email protected] | 20 October 2005 at 11:53
Tim, and James...we know DC's guys used this spin against DD over his alleged promotion of- or non distancing from- the DC drugs issue, but come on...let's not have you upstanding Foxmen do the same thing over this latest silliness.
Posted by: Wat Tyler | 20 October 2005 at 11:55
See... there we go- who the hell is kfog77?
Posted by: Wat Tyler | 20 October 2005 at 11:56
To be fair, Wat, I did post on Monday saying that DD had been unfairly criticised by the likes of Soames and Spencer for being involved in the drugs story.
Posted by: Editor | 20 October 2005 at 12:00
Ed- fair comment.
But there's just so much bile around at present...and much of it comes from mysterious posters who've only recently come out of the woodwork, and who are pretty clearly not entirely on the level. We old-timers must keep our heads.
Posted by: Wat Tyler | 20 October 2005 at 12:08
It seems that David Davis never quite knows how he, or his team, should react when allegations surface. I wouldn't like to comment on whether or not rumours originally come from the Davis camp, but he and his team appear to take inordinate pleasure in these allegations which makes him appear rather an unattractive character.
Posted by: Louise | 20 October 2005 at 12:16
The ability of some in the Conservative party to shoot this party in the foot through practice of the 'dark arts' amazes and saddens me.Whatever benefit may be gained by one of the candidates will be more than offset by the damage to our cause as a whole.
We 've already lost Portillo to this sort of crap,when will we ever learn?
Posted by: malcolm | 20 October 2005 at 12:16
Whoever started this ball rolling should be ashamed of themselves. Perhaps the same one who dragged DC's relative into the drugs issue last week? This is a non-story.
Posted by: James Maskell | 20 October 2005 at 12:18
I would also like to point out that I had commented about how the Telegraph (and others) misrepresented Davis's Morgan & Platell interview.
Posted by: James Hellyer | 20 October 2005 at 12:18
I feel sorry for Fox. We should be able to rise above these cheap allegations about each other's private lives.
He might have done better to avoid the temptation to have a sly little dig at Cameron, though.
Posted by: Bob | 20 October 2005 at 12:20
Thoroughly looking forward to the result tonight. Lets just hope its a Fox vs Cameron contest for all our sakes. May the best man win!
Posted by: Andrew McCaig | 20 October 2005 at 12:22
"He might have done better to avoid the temptation to have a sly little dig at Cameron, though."
I was wondering when a Cameronite would mention this. It took just over half an hour - is that a new record?
Posted by: Daniel Vince-Archer | 20 October 2005 at 12:22
This site, and editorial comments, seem to have turned into the Fox for Leader blog.
Posted by: Ben O | 20 October 2005 at 12:28
Would a Fox for Leader blog really have posted this story, Ben O?
Posted by: Editor | 20 October 2005 at 12:30
The Main Party of Opposition plays the gay card...jesus, I thought we went through this 4 years ago. How stupid does this party want to look like? Labour can now accuse the Conservatives of being soft on drugs and homophobic. Another 4 years of opposition looms unless the Party can grow up and realise that people have no problem with homosexuality at all.
We are just asking to be given another beating at the polls in 2009.
Posted by: James Maskell | 20 October 2005 at 12:36
Wat- I am kfog77, i typed my e-mail in the wrong box. I am not suddenly coming out of the woodwork to spread bile, I am a bona fide tory, who has contributed numerous times to this fantastic site. I am as entitled to my opinion as you are, and face the facts, where are these smear campaigns most likely to stem from? Camp Davis, where else?
Posted by: kris | 20 October 2005 at 12:39
Ed- I have no way of getting the ES, so only have your potted summary. But how has this story actually appeared? Why has Doc felt it necessary to say this at all?
We know the ES is in the Mail stable...so is there anything else to say? Before everyone blames DD- AGAIN- is there any reason whatsoever to think he had anything to do with this?
Posted by: Wat Tyler | 20 October 2005 at 12:42
We will never find out who why this issue has been raised (and by whom). Dr Fox has made his statement and that should be the end of the matter.
Posted by: Selsdon Man | 20 October 2005 at 12:47
Two questions:
1. Was Fox likely to squeeze Davis into third place tonight?
2. Will this have any effect either way?
Posted by: michael | 20 October 2005 at 12:47
Wat, it's the splash with a big picture of Fox on the front page and a spread inside.There isn't much to it other than Foxs comments.This seems to be an effort by the Standard to make a story out of nothing,which is not that unusual for that newspaper.It's interesting that the BBC hasn't picked it up which is quite unusual as it can usually be relied upon to pick up anti-Tory stories straightaway.
Posted by: malcolm | 20 October 2005 at 12:50
Malcolm - interesting observation. Frankly I think this is neother a story nor something that will change the result either way. In fact I dont know why Im wasting my time commenting on it.
There are other issues - like the 6 percent rise in violent crime which we should be lambasting the Government about!
Posted by: Jonathan Sheppard | 20 October 2005 at 12:53
If this contest turned into a TV soap, we'd over-take both East Enders and Coronation Street.
Posted by: Justin Hinchcliffe | 20 October 2005 at 13:07
I would never vote for the Doc, but I couldn't care whether he has had a past involving other guys - his business!
As a gay boi myself I would have to lol at people who think this is somehow damaging - what century do these people live in?
Posted by: Midnight Blue | 20 October 2005 at 13:11
What I find extraordinary is that to be accused of being gay or having gay experiences is to be 'smeared'. Its neither a 'bad' nor a 'good' thing - it is irrelevant, and indeed nullified by the presence of a beautiful fiancee. Its not a 'shocking and disgusting smear' but a rather bizarre suggestion to have come out of nowhere. One poster has desribed this as an anti-Tory story - how is it 'anti' anything? The story is just weird if you ask me. Even I as a DC supporter would say the drugs issue has more pertinence than this.
There don't seem to be any accusations or allegations involved at all - do we know what question Fox was asked? Its as if he answered a question after days of speculation in the press, which there clearly hasn't been.
When I woke up today, this was the last thing I expected to read! It only becomes relevant when someone can be accused of hypocrisy.
Posted by: Henry Cook | 20 October 2005 at 13:14