David Cameron has outraged Middle England (in the shape of Daily Mail readers) by returning to his holiday in Cornwall this morning after spending barely 24 hours in Downing Street dealing with the atrocity of a British Islamic jihadist beheading an American journalist.
Cameron decided to rejoin his wife, Samantha, and their children in Polzeath for the coming Bank Holiday weekend as the hunt was launched for the hooded executioner– known as “John” and believed to be from London or the South East - who executed James Foley on camera in revenge for American attacks on Islamic State positions in Iraq.
The fact that the prime minister has upset Daily Mail readers is an issue: if he can't keep these voters on side, he has no chance of winning the May 2015 general election.
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In the flood of angry posts by Mail readers is this one: "Perception is everything... The perception is that he is not at the helm... The man does not seem to understand this simple fact…"
Another comment reads: "It doesn't matter if he's on holiday or not really. He's not going to tighten our borders, or do anything to weed out these Fruit Cakes from our society. His wishy-washy approach is pathetic!"
Some of the comments, of course, could have been posted by supporters of Ukip or disgruntled Tory MPs. But Cameron is risking real damage by flouting public opinion which appears to be hardening in favour of Britain supporting the US in attacking on the Islamic State fanatics.
Only days after boasting that he could run the country "by BlackBerry", the PM has left the impression that he only momentarily broke his holiday as a public relations stunt to show he is in charge.
The Sun ran the story under the mocking headline – stolen from The Mole, I might add - ‘We'll fight them on the beaches... after IS horror Cameron's back on holiday.’
Cameron's determination to look on the bright side, and not to let the world get him down, appears to be shared by Barack Obama.
Despite the IS threatening to decapitate another captured American journalist, Steven Sotloff, if Obama does not back down, the US President was pictured laughing as he bumped fists with Cyrus Walker, cousin of White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, while golfing on Martha's Vineyard.
