Eddie Barnes - The Ivan effect

Speaking to a well-connected Labour party contact the other day, he suddenly raised the political effect of the sad death of Ivan Cameron. My contact was pretty adamant. "I think it will seal the deal for Cameron," he said.

This might be viewed by many people as a pretty tasteless conversation but I am guessing my friend was only airing what is on the minds of many in the Labour and Tory parties. Ivan Cameron's death will have humanised his father in the eyes of the public more than anything that has happened since he took over the job. Few people feel a natural empathy for the priveliged class which Cameron represents but it is hard to feel antipathy for a man who has lost his treasured first-born son. That is one more barrier to voting for Cameron well and truly obliterated. There is an emotional connection between people and the Tory leader now that wasn't there before - and as has been shown time and time before, people generally don't vote with their heads, but with their hearts.

I raise this now because we're due a few polls, which will have assessed public opinion in the light of the events of the last few weeks. It will be fascinating, if ghoullish, to see what they say.