If Cameron thinks this is tough, just wait till he gets into the ring against Brown

Even from his holiday home in Crete, David Cameron will be able to sense the waves of schism and confusion which engulf his party this week. Parliament is not sitting, yet the grammar schools row has already triggered one shadow ministerial resignation, with the threat of more to come. It is enough to make Gordon Brown’s allies salivate: the Tories have been pole-axed by a news story which originated in their own head office. How will they cope with the tricks which the next Prime Minister has in store?

Until now, the Cameron machine has faced remarkably little hostile fire. Mr Brown had urged an all-out assault from the very beginning, but was vetoed by Mr Blair. When No. 10 Downing Street eventually did put together an attack advert, depicting Mr Cameron as a chameleon on a bicycle, it was risibly ineffective. Since then the Prime Minister has hardly bothered, focusing on his own legacy rather than attacking the party most likely to protect it.