Tories urge Davis to change his mind as contest threatens to descend into farce
I am not surprised to find that several Tory grandees appear to be just as puzzled as I was by David Davis' decision to call a by-election over the 42 day terrorist detention bill.
Heseltine is right when he says the move is "incomprehensible". As I said yesterday, I have honestly never heard anything like it.Lord Tebbit, the former party chairman, joined Lord Heseltine, the former deputy prime minister, in expressing bafflement at Mr Davis's decision to force the by-election scheduled for 10 July. Lord Heseltine described Mr Davis's move as "incomprehensible".
Lord Tebbit, a friend of Mr Davis, said: "I find it difficult to understand the logic of it. He won the argument in the Shadow Cabinet and he won the argument in the debate in the Commons and then he calls a by-election. It seems to me over the top. It's beyond my comprehension."
Nor do I have any understanding of what he hopes to gain by doing this. He's fighting to win back his own safe Tory seat for God's sake. How can he hope to claim that winning that proves anything about how the public feel about 42 days detention?
I said yesterday that I didn't think Labour would field a candidate, leaving Davis fighting against a motley crew of fringe groups, and this is how it is all turning out:
Kelvin MacKenzie, the former editor of The Sun, said he was "90 per cent certain" to put his name forward on a platform in favour of 42-day detention. He said he had the backing of the paper's proprietor, Rupert Murdoch, after discussing it with him at a party. Mr MacKenzie said: "I have been associated with The Sun for 30 years. The Sun is very, very hostile to David Davis because of his 28-day stance and The Sun has always been very up for 42 days and perhaps even 420 days."He's now going to be up against The Sun newspaper who, as Kelvin MacKenzie says, would be happy to have people held without charge for 420 days.
And, if MacKenzie runs against him, he can forget getting anything like a fair hearing in a lot of the press, as The Sun are likely to be the only newspaper giving this idiotic by-election any real coverage and they will back MacKenzie 100%.
Davis should take the advice of his friends and consign this by-election to the bin.
As the Monster Raving Lunatic Party line up to oppose him, this whole thing is quickly descending into a farce.
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4 comments:
I read Davis' statement, and I was particularly intrigued by one part, with regard to the "next steps".
Now the counter terrorism bill will in all probability be rejected by the House of Lords very firmly...
But because the impetus behind this is essentially political - not security - the government will be tempted to use the Parliament Act to over-rule the Lords.
So it seems that Davis agrees with your take on the HoL's rejection of 42 days. And my weak grasp of British politics is once again revealed.
This guy sounds a lot like the British version of Ron Paul.
This guy sounds a lot like the British version of Ron Paul.
Even though I agree that the bill he has resigned over is a very bad one, I think Davis is motivated at all times by self aggrandisement. He's never forgiven Cameron for beating him to the leadership of the Tories and goes to any lengths to make himself relevant.
So not like Ron Paul at all, then.
Two strikes.
Not at all Todd. He does sound like Ron Paul and listening to him one would imagine that he's a principled Conservative politician.
Anyone who has followed his career though finds what he's doing simply fantastical.
What does he imagine, indeed, what can anyone imagine that him being re-elected in his own safe Tory seat will achieve?
He's hoping for a wonderful six weeks of TV time reminding us all that he has principles. And, as he agrees with me that the Lords will amend the bloody thing, doesn't that make his principled stance even more pointless?
At a time when the Tories have had Brown on the ropes Davis is throwing Brown a massive life belt. And this will only benefit Davis and not the Tory party. Which is why an old cynic like myself is so suspicious of his motives, even though - like him - I loathe the bill.
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