Did Lynton Crosby tell Cameron to cut taxes on fracking?

Is David Cameron trying to extend the Crosby story? That would be madness surely – but his statement last night, saying ‘I have been very careful about what I have said which is to say he hasn’t lobbied me on any of these issues’ doesn’t draw a line under the story at all. All it does is beg the question – why are you being so damn careful Prime Minister?

Today there are more questions for Cameron to answer over Crosby, his clients and sudden changes in government policy.

George Osborne has just announced a reduction in tax on fracking from 62% to 30%.

Crosby’s lobbying firm, Crosby Textor, represents the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, an oil and gas lobby group campaigning for fracking. The Association’s members include Dart that is dealing with coal-bed methane extraction in Scotland and holds a fracking license.

So will David Cameron answer these three questions:

1. Did Lynton Crosby tell David Cameron to cut taxes on fracking?
2. Have they ever discussed taxes on fracking?
3. And was Cameron aware that Crosby’s firm has links to companies that will benefit from such a tax cut?

So far this week there have been government u-turns on alcohol, cigarettes, gambling – and a potential change of government policy on airport capacity. Now this tax cut for fracking. What unites all of these? All of them are in areas where Lynton Crosby’s clients have business interests.

Just a co-incidence though, right?