Normally I think David Cameron should spend as much time in kitchens as possible. That's not a subversive feminist reversal of the classic sexist putdown in an attempt to draw attention to the Conservatives' depressing attitudes to women; he just looks a lot like a boiled ham and I would quite like for him to be accidentally eaten.

In this particular instance, however, I am having difficulty reconciling my culinary aspirations for the leader of this country with my dismay at his continued and egregious tackiness. Dave, you see, along with Home Sec and general fascist Teresa May, has gone and got himself a nice photo op in the homes of recently-arrested people suspected of immigration offences. Suspected, mind you; not convicted. In the photos we get to see both of Dave's default expressions - “jowly chortle” and “cheeks stuffed with marshmallows” - as he makes small talk with some awkward-looking, heavily-armed police officers. It couldn't be more tacky if it were soundtracked by Robin Thicke.

Leaving aside the general classlessness of effectively breaking into strangers' homes in order to have a mildly racist gloat, the legality of Cameron and May's visit is in question; no-one seems to know yet whether their names were actually on the warrant (and this is not a government renowned for its ability to think anything through). Either way, the whole thing is certainly constitutionally unsound and has serious potential to interfere in due process: once again, the residents have not yet been tried or convicted.

Obviously this is just a cheap (very, very cheap) campaigning tactic, a dual attempt to take personal credit for the sterling anti-foreigner work done by so many underpaid bureaucrats and the epitome of subtlety that is the Metropolitan Police Service, and to absorb some of the butch machismo that oozes out of the officers' Kevlar. It's also morally reprehensible, of course, but that's pretty much the Tories' slogan for next year, so.

All the major parties are making gross anti-immigration noises right now, in hopes of drawing in the all-important not-racist-but demographic. It's worth their taking note: this kind of thing is where that kind of thing leads. If Labour keeps trying to win back those mouth-breathers who thought Ukip would actually benefit the white working man, in five years' time we'll be witnessing Ed Balls kicking in the head of anyone with a tan. Douglas Alexander will have a facial tattoo of a swastika. Angela Eagle will take to hanging around the entrance of Yarl's Wood with a big stick. (Those few vestiges of Old Labour who still hang around will have been shot as Communist spies.)

We're probably going to be seeing quite a few more ill-advised photo ops in the next few months, one way or another. It's sad that the best we can hope for is that most of them will be less legally dodgy than this one.

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