Leaked documents could explain Cameron’s family breakfast

Now we know why David Cameron risked controversy by being filmed at home with his family, including his seriously handicapped son.

The Tory leader caused a few raised eyebrows with his decision to put his children into the frontline when ITN cameras were invited to film the Cameron family around the breakfast table. Cynical manipulation of the Cameron kids? Not a bit of it, we were assured.

Except that a leaked Tory strategy document has now emerged showing that one of the party’s key objectives of 2008 is to improve the party's credibility among families. Polling has shown that people move away from the Conservatives when they have children.

The note was used for a presentation by James O'Shaughnessy, the director of research and policy at Conservative Central Office.

Government ministers who held off from openly criticising Cameron for using his kids, saying it was his "personal decision", are less likely to restrain themselves now.