David Davis to resign to force by-election on 42 days

This is an unconfirmed but well-founded rumour but David Davis, Shadow Home Secretary, is to resign his seat to highlight the issue of 42 days.  More as we get it...

1.45pm: We'll now attempt to catch up with this extraordinary story; the ConHome team were having a fish'n'chip lunch when it broke!  Dominic Grieve is the new Shadow Home Secretary.

1.50pm: LibDems won't oppose David Davis.

Mr Davis will stand as an independent a Conservative Party candidate, but without the backing of CCHQ.

Simon Chapman has been blogging about developments at CentreRight: "I cannot see an up-side for the Conservative Party in this. This can only be seen as a challenge to David Cameron. Why has he done this? Why now? Why did his job not give him a sufficient platform to make the case he wanted to? Why has he decided that he needed to resign to campaign on the erosion of civil liberties and on 42 days, when he was the Party's spokesman on those issues? No doubt we will find out more soon, but my current emotion is utter dismay. It suggests that DD believes the Party does not share his commitment - why else resign?"

1.53pm: David Cameron's statement:

“This is a personal decision for David Davis. He is a friend and colleague and I will be happy to campaign for him in his constituency.  I pay tribute to the campaign he has been waging on behalf of the Party on 42 days.  But we cannot put Home Affairs on pause and it is my job to ensure that we have a team that’s ready for Government.  We remain fully committed to our opposition to 42 days and the new Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve will step up our efforts to fight against it in Parliament.”

Dominic Grieve, new Shadow Home Secretary, said: “I fully understand David’s brave stand and I am honoured to take up this appointment. It has been a privilege to work with him in fighting 42 days. I look forward to continuing the Party’s campaign against 42 days pre- charge detention in Parliament, as I have been doing throughout in my role as Shadow Attorney General.”

2.25pm: Download PDF of full statement by David Davis

2.35pm: Taking a second look at the statement it is amazing that The Speaker wouldn't allow DD to make it in the House.  Another bad day for Mr Martin.

2.55pm Nick Robinson: "David Cameron has lost control of his strategy. This was not his decision. He was not asked for his agreement. He was informed late last night by David Davis that he was going to do this come what may. That he was going to resign and trigger this campaign. This is not a campaign that Mr Cameron wants, it is not part of his strategy and indeed, I am told by senior Tories who know Mr Cameron well, that this was David Davis' personal decision and will be his personal campaign."

2.55pm Andy McSmith: "The risk is that his campaign will fade into a monumental irrelevance, and he will be returned on a low turn out as the voters in Haltemprice and Howden wonder why they are being dragged to the polls to no effect."

3pm: Bookmakers William Hill has a surprising perspective on this news. They've lengthened Davis' odds of becoming leader from 4/1 to 14/1, the same level as Grieve, because: "It is difficult to see how David Davis could have done anything other than damage his prospects of becoming his Party's next leader by embarrassing them in this way"

3.10pm: The transcript of Davis' announcement has been posted on CommentIsFree

Comments

[Liam in Preston]

BBC reporting it live now. CCHQ has hinted this will be a "personal campaign"

LibDems rumoured not to be standing against him

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haltemprice_and_Howden_by-election%2C_2008

[David Galea]

I'm listening to his speech on BBC News 24 right now. It's absolutely brilliant. Good God this man is great!

[John Broughton]

I like what DD is saying. Will he the the evil union?

[Norm Brainer]

Wow.
Don't quite understand the mechanics of how that's gonna work... but good on that man - glad someone is putting their neck on the line to protect our liberties.

[Liam in Preston]

I have never heard such a speech! I have never known such a bizarre by election. What on earth does David Cameron think? And why has Nick Clegg agreed not to stand against David Davis?

[David Galea]

He summed up all the stupidity and ignorance of New Labour and what that is doing to the country. We need David Davis.

[Donal Blaney]

Unbelievable speech. THAT was leadership. The libertarian banner held high.

[Cranmer]

Why does no-one resign on a point of principle over the Treaty of Lisbon?

Is that cause not rather more worthy?

[Bazzer]

A strong speech - said with conviction - can we have him as leader?

[Becky Stevens]

Best political speech I can remember!

A politician with principles that he is prepared to stand by.

Clegg doesn't know what he believes on this subject (see Hagues letter to him) so best for him to stay apart...

[David Galea]

The honesty, the straightforwardness, the decency, and the strength & guts to stand up for the country. Sorry for posting so much but I'm absolutely gobsmacked.

[Rightwingery]

Hang on just a minute... this is the most farcicle of situations. DD is resigning to contest a by election, at enormous expense to the taxpayer, for a single issue of which the Lib Dems will not be contesting.

It is utterly surreal and totally bonkers. My respect for DD, which was considerable until this cretinous move, has all but been extinguished.

[Northern Tory]

Man on an ego trip...

A by election will be seen by the electorate as a NEEDLESS waste of taxpayers money (and time) in a climate of tightening economic hardship...

Divisive and unneccesary...

[Graeme Archer]

Words of my stupendous admiration fail me! When does the battle bus set off? Guys. Win this and we are the government.

[Coventry87]

A bizarre publicity stunt - at large expense to decent and hard-working taxpayers. Lets hope the voters see through it and use this opportunity to elect a Labour candidate committed to our national security. And we actually have public support for 42 days, it's about protecting the public and it's about national security. It's disgraceful that the Tories are politicising this.

[Elvis]

Cameron needs to get alongside him PDQ and give total backing. Then we're home and dry.

[David Galea]

This wasn't a bad idea. The Conservatives didn't have enough MP's to win yesterday, but they do now have the ability to win elections.

The byelection can bring attention to David Davis, who can give more great speeches like that which can turn heads and change people's hearts.

The BBC couldn't keep up with him, they were trying to make it out to be about revenge on David Cameron. Listening to the speech, I believed every word David Davis said. The BBC was wrong.

I think the Conservative party is very strong right now

[johnC]

Of course if no-one stands against him he can be returned unopposed without the cost of an election. The ball's in Gordon's court now.

[Nigel Rathbone]

I don't agree with David Davis's views on Europe, amongst other things, but on THIS issue - I'm behind him 100%.

A brave, principled and noble stance.

[Clucking Fist]

Where can we donate to his campaign?

[Mark Hudson]

I voted for David Davis and resigned from the Party when he didn't get the leadership (and I have never regretted that decision). However, THIS decision totally baffles me?

[Liam in Preston]

I am now hearing the most bizarre dvelopment - DD is to stand as an independent? LibDemVoice is not exactly brimming with enthusiasm as the idea of missing out on a byelection because of some unusual ego trip?

[Susan]

Absolutely fantastic news. Well done DD and a great speech too.

[bob]

This man should have been leader. What a move. To put everything on the line. Only if we had more politicians like this. This is a move that Churchill would have been proud of. At last someone standing up for all our civil liberties.

[stephen hoffman]

he is taking a principled stance -something which politicians dont do often , cameron wont reverse 42 days i have an inkling if he gets to power , davis would -more of a libertarian than cameron.

[Matt Cain]

So David Davis agrees with his party but lost the vote so resigns. And if he wins the by-election, he will still agree with his party and it won't have done anything to change the balance in the House which led to the result in the first place.

What does this achieve?

[Graham Doll]

Great stuff David Davies, please please Tories back his principled stance - we can give Brown a bloody nose on this one.

[ET]

anyone got a clip of the Davis speech??

Coventry87 - you're having a laugh...

[Tory-Warren]

This is unbelievable bonkers but marvellous. I didn't manage to see the speech... is there a link somewhere? He said it would be a referendum on the "erosion of British freedoms"... does that include Lisbon treaty then?

[Jim]

It's self-indulgent showboating.

[Nigel Rathbone]

What a move. To put everything on the line. Only if we had more politicians like this. This is a move that Churchill would have been proud of.

For the historians amongst us, I seem to recall Stanley Baldwin attempted something similar in 1930, when he was Leader of the Opposition. I'm looking it up...

[Steve Green (Daily Referendum Blog).]

I've just listened to David Davis make his statement to the press. All I can say is BRAVO David. It takes courage to stand on principle and put his political career at risk. I know this will cause some division in the party, but as far as I'm concerned David Davis has just announced that he will fight to protect my Liberty. He should receive the support of all free men and women.

Very well done David.

[steve]

its not ruddy showboating. our freedoms are being taken away left right and centre. we need someone to come and fight for the right thing. i don't much want to live in a police state. this will end labour

[Doug]

What David Davis has done is a to change the nature of old-fashioned politics in Britain.

When the current authoritarian government denies our rights to referendum on issues of paramount importance to our civil liberties and sovereignty there is no other choice but for a principled politician like David Davis to give the people a voice in a by-election on these important issues.

Surely if you resign your seat, you therefore can't be a member of the Shadow Cabinet. It's nothing to do with party splits. It's a simple consequence. David wants his constituents to have a say by calling a by-election.

[Ex-candidate]

From the BBC - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7450627.stm.

"Conservative sources have told BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson Mr Davis told Mr Cameron of his decision on Wednesday evening.
His by-election campaign would be "personal and not backed by the full resources of the Conservative Party", the source added. "

If this is true, Cameron has behaved abominably towards to davis who has been scrupulously loyal to him. As a former Parliamentary candidate in Yorkshire, I will be offering my services to the Davis campaign.

David Davis's action shames Tim Montgomerie who disgracefully supported the government on 42 days. Gordon Brown quoted him yesterday during PMQs. Tim should resign as Editor of this site. No true Conservative could support such an attack on our liberties.

[Cleethorpes Rock]

As you might be able to tell by my screen name, I hail from just over the river from DD’s seat. There isn’t a pack of rampaging wildebeest on Earth that’s going to stop me going back home for the weekend to campaign for this great man.

This is a referendum on the issue and, like ID cards and other aspects of the overbearing state so loved of Labour, once it is properly scrutinised, the 42-days law will be shown up for the disgrace that it is.

Let’s all pledge on here today to work for a DD victory. I’m in.

[ET]

will he be standing as an independent?? too many un-answered questions.

[Cleethorpes Rock]

Sorry, that should have been HERD of wildebeest.

[Andrew Boff]

Whatever the tactical appraisal of his decision by more learned people than me, it reminded me of what it is to be English, whether by lineage or adoption. It was about freedom and liberty and all those things that are sneered at by corporatists and authoritarians. It may prove to be a massive mistake, but this Englishman is very moved.

[Coventry87]

He's got a majority of something like 5,000 I think... there are safer Tory seats than his. If the LibDems are NOT standing - and if Labour can run a decent campaign, we could seriously dent his majority... (And if he is returned to Westminster with a lower majority this is a defeat of sorts for him).

[Ulster Tory]

Bravo!! Wouldn't it be ironic if he lost?

[M Dowding]

This is a decent and honourable move. So all poloticians are not the same. Thank God for that. Come on Conservatives and Leadership, back him to the hilt, then get us out of an EU Federalist plot!

[Liam in Preston]

There are a lot of unanswered questions. The rumour that DD will stand as an Independent is doing the rounds on the blogs now, as it the rumour that the local LibDems are not best pleased at the news that Nick Clegg has agreed for there to be no official LibDem candidate.

David Cameron must be crossing his fingers that this bizarre gamble pays off!

[Malcolm Redfellow]

As Toby Ziegler had it: "Ginger, get the pop-corn".

That was one humdinger of a personal statement.

Now: does he stand as an official Conservative? After all, he has explicitly stated that he is running a single-issue campaign: I heard, "This is not about the Government record". He also seems to regard his possible re-election as continuing this single-issue approach. In that case, he must become an "Independent Conservative" at best. If he has complicit LibDem support in the by-election, is he even qualified to claim that degree of affinity to the Party?

By this stage, a whole pack of slavering Labour wannabes are panting at the leash for the chance. My experience is that no election campaign, with the possible exception of Tatton in 1997, particularly one as high-profile as this one promises, can be restrained to a single issue. If Davis were to succeed in making this a local referendum on 42 days, on present form he would lose catastrophically.

Then there are the murmurings in the Press that Davis had difficulty in holding the line on 42 days against faint-hearts like Osborne and Gove. That does not bode well for domestic harmony and peace, particularly since we know that, only a year back, many Tory MPs were accepting of 90 days, and have been whipped into line this time around. Doris Karloff was the only one gutsy enough to vote her convictions.

Whoops, there goes the 22% opinion-poll lead.

"Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive". Or, as Willy Whitelaw had it: "Mustn't gloat, bad form to gloat. Absolutely mustn't. Let me tell you, -- I'm gloating like hell."

[M Dowding]

Politicians of course. Excited key board!

[Coventry87]

It would be hilarious if he lost. And be under no illusions: Labour will be putting everything into working for an upset by-election win. It would be a tremendous boost - and lets remember there is public support for 42 days! If this by-election is fought as civil liberties v. national security, Labour might just win... (ironically, to the disgust of many grassroots Labour activists)

[James Burdett]

I love this man, I hope he gets re-appointed as Shadow Home Secretary when he wins his by-election as he is head and shoulders above anyone else on this. This is stunning someone willing to act on principle and is entirely in character.

[John Leonard]

All respect to David Davis. Unbelievably daring move. It's about time someone called Brown out on his totalitarian 1984 tendencies. The gauntlet has been thrown down!

Respect to the Libdems for not standing.

David Cameron must support him to the hilt!

[Rene Kinzett]

The Duchess of Atholl stood down to fight her Perthshire seat in protest at Chamberlain's appeasement policies in 1938. She lost to the Conservative candidate.

This is a really interesting decision by David, politics is often dull, predictable and currently seems like trench warfare witht the odd bit of excitement such as in Crewe.

David has shown what real politics can really be about. People taking risks, taking a stand, doing the unpredictable.

The issue he is fighting over is so important as to absolutely need men and woman like him to stand up and be counted. It is surely only logical that the Tory Government will repeal this draconian legislation? David was speaking for Britain today. He will win this by-election, but then what....?

[Steve Green (Daily Referendum Blog).]

The BBC has just reported that Cameron thinks this is a courageous move. Also the Lib Dems have confirmed that they will not stand against him.