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Drama as top Tory quits
Joe Murphy, Political Editor13.06.08
Senior Tory David Davis dropped a bombshell on David Cameron today by quitting as an MP to force a by-election.
In an extraordinary stunt, the shadow home secretary told his party leader that he would re-contest his Yorkshire constituency on the sole issue of civil liberties.
He said his aim was to expose Labour on the issue of the 42-day terror law - but the effect was to leave his Tory colleagues agog and furious.
Mr Cameron was clearly surprised and dismayed. He immediately removed Mr Davis from the shadow cabinet, appointing Dominic Grieve as his replacement on a permanent basis. There was no guarantee that Mr Davis would return to shadow cabinet. Asked if he would do so, a senior source replied only: "Very possibly."
Mr Cameron tried to dissuade Mr Davis from stepping down. They met in the Opposition leader's office in the Commons after last night's 42-day vote and Mr Davis revealed his plan.
"There's a lot of risk in it," Mr Cameron warned. "Yes, but the risk is on me," answered the shadow home secretary. After failing to make
headway, Mr Cameron concluded: “It's got to be your decision then.”
In public this afternoon the Tory leader hailed his colleague as “brave and courageous” — a possible back-handed compliment because these terms were used in the classic TV comedy Yes Minister to denote policy ideas that verged on lunacy.
“The voters will not like being messed about,”
added one Tory. Another suggested: “It must be a midlife crisis.”
It was suggested that Mr Davis had fallen too heavily under the influence of Liberty campaigner Shami Chakrabarti, a fellow critic of the Government's counter terror laws.
The Evening Standard has learned that no funding
from Tory party HQ will go to the Davis by-election campaign “because it is a personal decision”.
However, Mr Davis believes the election can
be turned into a mini-referendum on what he
sees as an assault by Labour on civil liberties over 42-day detentions of terror suspects and other issues from ID cards, CCTV, the DNA database, defending jury trials and state snooping on innocent citizens.
“This cannot go on, it must be stopped, and for that reason I feel it is incumbent on me to make a
stand,” said the 59-year-old MP. “I will fight against the slow strangulation of British freedoms
by this Government.”
In an extraordinary and slightly rambling statement on the steps of Parliament, the former Tory leadership contender went on: “I am just a piece in this great chess game.”
Davis allies said they would hold their own special fundraising events, with stars like Rowan Atkinson expected to be invited. Friends revealed that Mr Davis became “intellectually” committed to a by-election over a week ago and he won the backing in recent days of his wife, Doreen, and local party chairman.
But he did not become “emotionally” engaged until Gordon Brown won the anti-terror vote last night with a majority of just nine votes. Mr Davis was shocked because he had thought the nine Democratic Unionist Party MPs agreed with him that 42-day detentions were a step too far. He went to tell Mr Cameron some time after 7pm.
Mr Davis's Haltemprice and Howden seat looked safe with a majority of 5,116 in 2005. His local party has also backed him. Local party chairman Duncan Gilmour said: “David discussed early in the week what he would do if the result went against us last night. David is a man of principle and we fully back him.”
In a separate move, the Liberal Democrats indicated they would not stand in the by-election
because of their own opposition to the counter-terror Bill. It seemed that Mr Davis had told Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg of his decision before informing many senior Tories, including his deputy, shadow police minister David Ruffley.
Mr Clegg said: “The Liberal Democrats have consistently opposed this unnecessary and illiberal proposal which poses a threat so serious to British liberties that it transcends
party politics.”
The Prime Minister's supporters were celebrating
Mr Davis's decision, which drew the limelight away from claims that Mr Brown “bribed” rebel MPs and the Democratic Unionist Part into backing him in the vote with state spending and policy changes.
At first, surprised MPs assumed there must be a scandal or a major policy rift. But that was soon discounted after the MP made his statement revealing how serious he was about the move.
In yesterday's debate, Mr Davis made one of his most impassioned speeches, urging Labour MPs to close their eyes and imagine how it would feel to be confined for six weeks away from the families without knowing what for. He is the leading libertarian in the Tory high command. If he comes back with resounding public support at the by-election, he would undoubtedly be greeted as a hero at the party conference and could expect to command more leverage over policies.
Mr Davis added: “Haltemprice is derived from a medieval proverb meaning noble endeavour'. Up until yesterday I took the view that what we did in the Commons was a noble endeavour because with centuries of forebears we defended the freedoms of the British people.
Or we did up until yesterday.” He said: “This Sunday is the anniversary of Magna Carta, a document that guarantees the fundamental element of British freedom, habeas corpus. The right not to be imprisoned by the state without charge or reason. But yesterday this house allowed the state to lock up potentially innocent citizens for up to six weeks without charge.”
Reader views (23)
Wonderful man, wonderful politician and should have been leader of the Conservative Party. Good idea he is having but wrong principle. However, I find not many, especially, the younger generation, understand what a principle is! Good luck to him and I hope he 'gets back in' Cameron needs someone like him.
- Kate , London
Davis may gather support for this personally but he has done his party untold harm. Cameron and his close allies Coulson and Gove are said to be hopping mad about a decision which throws there careful plans about the strategic direction out of the window.
Had he kept quiet he would almost certainly have become Home Secretary, with the ability to make widespread changes on the issues which he cares about. This increasingly frustrated politician may just have made the biggest political mistake of his life.
- Johnny, Westminster, London
As an old Labour supporter who is massively disillusioned by new Labour's authoritarianism, I give 100% support to David Davis's stand for civil liberties.
Since the last general election, the British public have had no chance to influence the government’s drastic attacks on our rights and freedom. Gordon Brown’s assurances of open, answerable government and more power to parliament are just empty words. Even our promised EU referendum was denied us on an unbelievable pretext.
The by-election will give us a public debate and a small-scale referendum on the issue of Britain’s move towards a police state. The Government has denied us this discussion, and the media has failed to warn us of the dangers ahead. Well done and good luck, David Davis.
- Stan, Derby, UK
It is really time someone with a position which has influence in the political arena spoke out on the issue of the increasing surveillance of our private lives by this "STASI-MOTIVATED" Government. It is these issues which many, many people are worried about and Mr Davis's stand should be well supported.
- Anthony Pierce, Bromley
David Davis courageous and principled? By resigning a safe seat, standing again in the same seat but ensuring that your only feasible contestant does not contest it? Such pointless, political posturing beggars believe!
- Jean Treacy, Ilkeston Derbyshire
In David Davies, we see a man who would make a first-class Prime Minister.
- Simon Adamski, London, UK
I applaud this stand as it draws attention to a powerful and historic principle about freedom under the law, to be contrasted with the PM's miserable principle to the effect that 42 days is right - how can there be a principle about a number like this? There are risks in what David Davis is doing, as you cannot take voters for granted, and his shadow position has been removed - and in favour of a perfectly good replacement.
- David, London England
I totally support David Davies. The only principled politician I have seen since I was born.
- Mikko Takala, Drumnadrochit, Scotland
A politician doing something on the basis of principle? Flabbergasting!
- John Problem, Winchester UK
It's a real shame Gordon Brown isn't so confident that people back his beliefs and opinions - he may have got himself a mandate last year but instead he remains forever an unelected, lame duck Prime Minister.
- St, London
I suspect David Davis has now seriously rocked the Conservatives boat. Shame but I can't warm to David Cameron. Dear Gordon Brown is almost off the hook and may go for a snap election.
- Margaret Curtis, Wadebridge, England
Someone help to pick those toys up and put them in that pram.
- Tom Archer, Dagenham
Brilliant idea about the Labour rebels resigning too. The sooner Diane Abbott, David Winnick and Jeremy Corbyn stand down, only for them not to be allowed to be reselected the better.
- Jim, Essex
What a waste of the tax payers cash. You already had your vote. Go and get your self a proper job.
- Tom Archer, Dagenham
It's easy to have principles when you have taken the necessary steps to ensure you will be returned unopposed. And the Conservatives were vilifying the Government last night because the DUP voted with them. It occurred to me that Ann Widdicombe did him no favours by voting with the Government. Maybe he thought she, as a former Home Office Minister, regarded him as being soft on terror and soft on the causes of terror. Maybe he expected David Cameron to withdraw the Whip from her, but he was too frightened. Who knows? He obviously does not have the best interests of the Conservative party at heart, only his own. It used to be Blair v Brown. Now it is Davis v Cameron.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa. Spain
At last a man that stands up for the rights of the Magna Carta. It's time to stop these people turning the country into an Orwellian Draconian state.
- Bill Williams, Bagnoles France
At long last a politician who's prepared to put his job on the line for his principles not like the present lot New Labour under Brown.
- D Wal;Sh, Kings Lynn Norfolk
Mr Davis may be rambling, but his senses are spot on. Congratulations and good luck to him.
- Helen, Norwich
Well done David Davis!
- Johno, London
Excellent to see an MP standing up for what he believes in. I agree with Mr. Davis that we need a national debate about the state of our civil liberties and the creeping controls and curbs on our freedoms that New Labour has been putting in place. It's just such a pity that as an MP he feels the only way he has left to earn his salary is by quitting his job.
- Julian Fountain, London, UK
I'm not surprised Mr. Davis took this path. His principles could lead him no where else. I cheered when he told the Today programme a future Conservative government would repeal this Act (if it gets that far)and return to the less controversial 28 days. I haven't heard DC promise to repeal any legislation he fundamentally disagrees with whether it is Quango Regional Government or the Civil Contingency Act.
And that, along with the wasted tax revenues being thrown at problems, is one of the things making too many people hesitate about voting the Conservatives in.
When David Davis is sitting on the front bench after his return to the Commons, the rest of the Conservative Party should follow his example and tell us which legislation will be repealed within 12 months of taking office.
- Richard Meredith, Huntingdon, UK
It would be nice to think that the issue would be debated thoroughly due to this forced by-election, but it rapidly appears that the Labour Party is unlikely to put up a candidate. Without the debate, and then a verdict by the voters on the outcome of that debate, this is pointless. Worse, it makes Davis look like he's either grandstanding or a loony.
He had better hope that some opponent in favour of the bill emerges so that this drama has served a purpose.
- Christian, Chichester, West Sussex
Now is the time for the Labour 'Rebels' to stand up and be counted, by doing the same.
- Tony, London
