So where is Mr not-Davis?

So utterly has the not-Davis wing of the Conservative Party failed to organise a stop-Davis campaign that David Davis has had to organise it himself. Or, rather, some of his more enthusiastic supporters have been overstepping the mark in various ways thus generating negative headlines as well as positive ones.

But does David Davis need to be stopped? Isn’t he just what the party needs – tough, intelligent, presentable, human? He is all those things, but for some reason, which is far from apparent to the wider world, not all of his parliamentary colleagues seem overjoyed by the prospect of a Davis leadership. Then there is the question of how exactly he intends to revive the Party he hopes to lead. No doubt he intends to tell us in due course, but we need a rival vision to compare it against: hence the need for a stop-Davis candidate, whether or not he needs to be stopped.

So where is he, Mr not-Davis? It seems that the not-Davis wing of the Party is incapable of agreeing on a champion. And no wonder, because none of the obvious candidates are obviously inspiring. So why don’t they look for an unobvious candidate? There’s no reason why they have to be part of Michael Howard’s shadow-cabinet-cum-beauty-parade and there’s no reason why they can’t be one of the new intake of MPs. Much better a new boy or girl with some fresh ideas than someone with four, eight or more years’ experience of pushing the Party in the wrong direction.

There are some essential qualifications, however: Federalists need not apply. This is a eurosceptic party now; the defence of British sovereignty is as much a part of what we’re for as anything else. Also, no toffs – at least not unless they’re so special that they’d have got where they are regardless of their background. This might seem unfair, but the truth is that the Conservative Party is top heavy with well-bred people of unexceptional talents – something which the voters can see and don’t like at all. Of course, there’s much more to this man-of-the-people lark than humble origins. One needs to be a readily identifiable human being. What exactly this means is hard to say, but you know it when you see it. Finally, and most importantly, the person we’re looking for must stand for something he or she really believes in. What’s more, that something must be distinct from the position that Mr Davis takes – not because Mr Davis is necessarily wrong, but because the Party needs the chance to debate some vital issues. For instance, what should be our basic position on the public services? Is it primarily to give people choices beyond the state sector or is it about finding innovative ways of making the state sector work better?

These are things we need to talk about. Unbelievably, we find ourselves talking about the party rulebook instead. But even if that particular horlicks is sorted out we still need people to lead the debate. Mr Davis’s contribution will be invaluable, but it shouldn’t be a monologue.

Comments

[malcolm]

Isn't the reason that no anti-Davis leadership contender has emerged yet is because there isn't a vascancy for a leader and hopefully won't be for some time.
I am neither for or anti Davis (don't really know enough about what his policies are) but I've been incredibly dissappointed with the actions of some of his supporters this week.I sincerely hope they acted without his authority or support.Otherwise we'll be back to the days of an ill disciplined parliamentary party which will have absolutely no chance of winning a general election.
I do agree with youu that as a party we do need to discuss 'finding ways of making the state sector work better'.
We promised to match Labour spend on Health and Education during the last election campaign but didn't communicate what we were going to do with the extra money.This for me was one of the major reasons we were so heavily beaten.
If we are going to maintain a 'tax and spend' agenda we need to be very imaginative in how we manage the state sector otherwise we will not be offering the British people a genuine alternative to the Labour party.

[Jonathan Sheppard]

I think the comment of "offering a real alternative" hits the nail on the head. At the last election the Lib Dems pretended to be offering a real alternative - yet in many seats their candidates failed to put a single piece of paper out. The Lib Dems aren't an alternative, and the Conservative party is no faced with a much weakened Labour party, with an unpopular Prime Minister.

The time has come for our big guns to turn them outwards onto New Labour and its failings (and lets be frank - there are plenty of them to have a go at).

Pressure needs to be put on Blair - Will we be getting a Referendum on the Constitution? If not why not. He may want time for reflection. I'm 30, and have never been asked for a view on Europe, so perhaps we've had plenty of time for reflection.

Lets take a look at Crime, and drugs. He wants to ban hooded tops - yet he downgraded cannabis. Lets fight him on that one. The list goes on.

Whoever has leadership ambitions needs to show that they are a street fighter - and prepapred to take the fight to Labour - not once they are in place - but now.

[Edward]

Crime and Europe are not the issues that matter. AS the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth showed, its best to attack your opponents strengths, because it is there that you can be most devastating.

So we need to build up a reputation on healthcare, economic management, education and pensions.

So lets see what Lansley, Osborne, Cameron and Rifkind come up with between now and the start of the contest.

[Louis]

While only a young conservative (only 18 years old) it is clear to me that David Davis, or someone of his political viewpoint, is essential to the survival of the Tory party.

While the anti-Davis candidates, Cameron, Duncan, Lansley, May, Rifkind, Clarke and many others are determined to put the party "into the centre ground" this isn't what the party needs.

The Tory party must offer an alternative to labour, by copying their social policy we would be commiting suicide.

It is clear that the majority of ethnic and all other minorities have never voted for the conservatives in significant numbers and therefore these are not the people hat forced the party out of power

The people that did force the party out of power, not only middle class but some working class people, are the ones we must target.

By convincing them that, tax cuts, euroscepticism, minimum government interference into their lives and real reform of the public services, i.e privitisation and opening them up to the market, are actually going to help them live their lives then these people and the ability to regain power will always be out of reach of the conservatives.

This is exactly what David Davis offers and to turn him down to become an ,essentially, New Labour copy would betray the party of Pitt, Peel, Disraeli, Churchill and Thatcher and all of Great Britain

[Cllr John Ireland]

Well said Louis, you may only be 18 but you have a shrewd head on your shoulders. David Davis is the best chance we, as a party of the right, have to survive. We must stand up for Conservative values and put our country first, unlike most of the other contenders, who only put themselves first.