Cameron: Under scrutiny

David Cameron has received the support of Tory heavyweights for his refusal to say whether or not he has ever used drugs.

The issue continues to dog his bid for the Tory leadership, with fresh headlines in Sunday's tabloids.

But the shadow education secretary on Sunday stood by his position that he would not comment on whether he has taken drugs while at university or since.

And Cameron said on Sunday evening it was "time actually to get on with what really matters in this leadership election campaign".

"Which is to ask which is the candidate best placed to modernise the Conservative Party, to reach out to voters that haven't supported us before, to be an effective Opposition, and to win the next election?" he said.

"That's what I'm focused on, that's the big issue, that's where I think the polls show I have got an advantage.

"I have had a very good response from constituency chairmen, from members of the party and from members of the public and I'm getting a lot of support from colleagues."

Earlier on Sunday there was support for his position from politicians as well as a range of columnists in the Sunday newspapers.

Former Conservative leader William Hague said the issue should not decide the leadership race.

Kenneth Clarke also took issue with a a "silly media witch hunt".

"I strongly advise David to carry on batting the questions away," the former chancellor told the BBC.

"And I actually don't think it is doing David Cameron any harm because I think most members of the public think this is a rather silly media witch hunt."

David Davis, seen as Cameron's closest challenger for the top job, also said his supporters should not seek to capitalise on the row.

"I've said to them almost on a... daily basis, do not go anywhere near this issue, stay away from it, it's not an issue that we want to run, it's not an issue where this contest should be decided," said the shadow home secretary on ITV1's Jonathan Dimbleby programme.

Tory chairman Francis Maude told Channel 4 News that Cameron was "absolutely right to refuse to get drawn down this track".

And he warned the other contenders against seeking to capitalise on the issue.

"I think if there was a sense developing that any of these contenders was using an issue like this to try to do down their opponents, that would not only harm the party, but in the eyes of the membership of the party, who will be taking the final decision, I think it would damage that candidate," he said.

Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy was also quizzed on the issue, saying he had never used drugs himself.

"However I do think that it's not unreasonable for people to choose not to answer as to what they may have done when they were university students 20 years ago or whatever," he told the Jonathan Dimbleby programme.