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  1. Politics
2 September 2011

Labour challenges Cameron on his Bullingdon past

The party questions Cameron's claim that he never saw a restaurant smashed up.

By George Eaton

As I predicted, David Cameron’s flawed defence of his Bullingdon Club past has left him politically exposed. Labour has issued a press release challenging Cameron’s questionable claim that he never saw a restaurant smashed up, and urging him to “take responsibility” for what he dismisses as youthful indiscretions.

Here’s the full statement from Labour MP John Mann:

David Cameron has questions to answer after his claim today that he did not witness people throwing things through windows or smashing up restaurants during his days as a Bullingdon Club member.

This is very different to what other people remember.

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He needs to start admitting what he did and start taking responsibility for what he shrugs off as youthful indiscretions.

If we are to get more responsibility throughout our society following the riots then the Prime Minister should set an example.

No doubt some will dismiss this as more “toff-bashing” from Labour. But unlike Cameron’s expensive schooling, the party regards this as legitimate political territory. The key point, they say, is that Cameron chose to join the Bullingdon Club. It provides Ed Miliband, who was more likely to be found reading Fabian pamphlets than smashing restaurant windows, with another opportunity to restate his call for responsibility at the top and the bottom of the society.

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