"you know the candidate, um, in, in Wales"

Well, what's occurrin'? as David Cameron asked on his last visit to the Vale of Glamorgan.

Since then he's suspended as a candidate the man who stood alongside him during his visit, Welsh Assembly member Alun Cairns.

Mr Cairns upset the party machine - and more than a few others - by comparing Italians to "greasy wops" on a Radio Cymru programme.

Today, the Tory leader, questioned about the resignation of an aide to the London Mayor Boris Johnson, linked both cases even if he appeared to have difficulty remembering the name of his own candidate in the Vale.

"They do cause deep offence. That is why Boris has acted so swiftly and that's why I've always acted swiftly on these issues whether in the case of Patick Mercer {former Tory frontbencher} or, you know the candidate, um, in, in Wales or yesterday the candidate in Scotland."

Mr Cairns is suspended pending an inquiry by the Tory chairman, Caroline Spelman. Mr Cameron didn't pre-judge that inquiry but linking the Cairns case with James McGrath won't make Mr Cairns feel any better.