Let's not forget that we have a new Shadow Home Secretary

The shock of David Davis' resignation and the joy of Ireland's "no" has distracted us from paying sufficient attention to what is very significant news in its own right.  The Conservative Party has, of course, a new Home affairs spokesman, Dominic Grieve.

Over at The Spectator's Coffee House, James Forsyth hasn't missed the significance of the appointment and has listed five reasons why he is worried.  James fears that...

• DG unbalances the frontbench and tips it away from the C2s,
• Is a passionate supporter of the European Convention on Human Rights,
• Is not above threatening to resign,
• Is weak on Islamic extremism, and
• May not be a strong enough media performer to channel public anger on crime.

ConservativeHome knows Dominic Grieve to be intelligent and one of politics' gentlemen.  Few have done more to build better relations with minority communities but we worry with James Forsyth, in particular, about his views on the ECHR.

One of the first things that Mr Grieve needs to do is rebut Labour suggestions that the party is soft on terrorism.  David Cameron made an excellent speech to the Community Security Trust in March.  Dominic Grieve needs to revisit the themes of that speech and make it clear that, unlike Labour, a Conservative Government will not allow extremists to enter Britain and will ensure no public funds go to extremist organisations.  Mr Grieve must also make it clear that he shares Dame Pauline Neville Jones' view that the Conservative Party does not approve of many of the attitudes of the Muslim Council of Britain.

> Mr Grieve recently gave a speech on Britishness.

Comments

[John Peel]

Perhaps Pauline Neville Jones started out as a C2?

OMG, its clear that she has never stood for let alone won an election, poor media performer too. Give the gal some coaching - Please.

[Alan S]

It's like having Oliver Letwin as Home Secretary.

[John Strafford]

Why doesn't James Forsyth wait to see what Dominic Grieve does before publishing his miserable article? All we learn from it is Forsyth's prejudices.

[Northernhousewife]

That is if its permanent.
I expect DC didn't want to look bounced into a reshuffle.
I don't expect DD to get his job back. He shouldn't and he shouldn't expect to.
He chose his actions and we can support that but stepping out on his own means rejecting collective cabinet responsibility.
Dominic MIGHT have a holding role.

[bill]

The new SHS does not impress me. But then I think the ECHR has done almost as much damage to this county as the Labour Party has since WW2.

[Graham Doll]

From what I've seen of him so far, and he has been in the spotlight a lot over the past couple of days, I'd say he was a very impressive media performer and looks like he will be a great asset to the party in his new role.

[Steve R]

He's genuine and sincere, which sadly, seems to be a problems these days.

[RIV]

Another public schoolboy on the Front Bench ! And in a top position what ho !! And a left-liberal on Human Rights being more important than security ! And favouring Judges having the last word on everything of any importance !!
More left-wing than ANY Home Secretary under Blair or Brown !!
Good show Cammers !!

[Wyremski]

"I'd say he was a very impressive media performer and looks like he will be a great asset to the party in his new role"

But Graham, what if he becomes Home Secretary? How will Dripping-Wet-Dominic be any asset to the mugged, the burgled, and the defenceless?

[Philip]

I heard Dominic Grieve's speech on Britishness that is linked on this post and found that although there was some things in the speech to make one want a Conservative government (e.g. free individuals and families from the constraints of political correctness and Big State interference etc), I share the concerns about this appointment for the reasons given in this post.

[Nicke]

He's an excellent shadown solicitor or attorney general but not home secretary. And like has been said we needed a working class up there to sit opposite Jaqui Smith. Maybe we should have gone with Shadown Home Secretary Pickles?!

[RichardJ]

I think what Davis did was a bad idea but I'd like to have him back as Shadow Home Secretary. Grieve sounds far too wet for my liking. By all means stand up for genuine civil liberties but not the fatuous rights that can be claimed under the HRA. I would also be interested to know if he believez in a zero tolerance policy towards criminals.

[Andrew Woodman]

Lets give him a chance. I've seen him on TV twice in the last couple of days and he performed very well imo. How permanent it is, who knows? If he fails to perform, then I'd expect to see maybe Liam Fox at Home Arrairs (should he behave himself in Cameron's eye). We shall see.

[John Ionides]

Andrew, I agree DG has performed very solidly over the last couple of days on TV. He came over well - intelligent and sincere - and argued his case excellently. Lets see what he can do over the longer haul, but from what I have seen so far, I am optimistic.

[Stefan]

This is the second time I've read you describing him as a "gentleman", as if such a thing matters; can you not come up with anything better?

[Demoralised and disgusted of Willesden Green]

So now that the Tories have gone pro-crime, are there any logical reasons left for a patriot to vote tory? I should love to hear them.

[Tony Makara]

"Is weak on Islamic extremism"

In other words Mr Grieve understands cause and effect and prefers to remove the causes rather that subscribing to the fantasy that radical Islam can be defeated military. The NeoCons have had seven years to find a solution and all they have given us is wall-to-wall bloodshed. Isn't it now time for a different approach based on dialogue, engagement and diplomacy?

[Nigel Rathbone]

Not often I find myself thinking this (in fact, never before), but - hear hear, Tony Makara.

[Matthew Reynolds]

Eric Pickles would have been my choice - but Dominic Grieve deserves a chance !

[John Leonard]

How good will Grieve be. I don't know. He comes highly recommended so deserves the benefit of the doubt. Good luck to him

However, what is clear is he has very big shoes to fill and a very devious Government to undo.

[John Leonard]

How good will Grieve be. I don't know. He comes highly recommended so deserves the benefit of the doubt. Good luck to him

However, what is clear is he has very big shoes to fill and a very devious Government to undo.

[Chantelle Osili]

I personally think that Dominic Grieve is an excellent choice. He is a superb media performer; when he spoke to my CF branch recently I was particularly struck by just how eloquent and articulate he is. In addition, he comes across as sincere and passionate, and after hearing him talk about how he chased down and apprehended youths vandalising a bus shelter I have no doubt that he will be a suitably tough Shadow Home Secretary!

[Malcolm Dunn]

Let's give the guy a chance! Home Secretary is usually a thankless task particularly under Conservative Administrations. What school Grieve went to is absolutely irrelevant, we need someone with strong moral backbone who is also an effective manager. I don't know if Grieve is either but he's certainly a thoughtful and intelligent man,time will tell.

[Old Hack]

Its always risky to judge too soon. Lets give him a chance. Sometimes expectations are confounded - IDS and his convertion to the cause of social justice for example?

[Sammy Finn]

It shuld have been Nick Herbert or Damian Green. Both look strong on TV.

[Tanuki]

Grieve's seeming tolerance/friendliness toward the mohammedans is my only enduring worry about this. You don't win the culture-war by talking to the enemy.

[Libertarian]

Dominic Grieve is a civil libertarian and Davis Davis supported his promotion very strongly. The predictable attacks by the neo-con authoritarians and scare-mongers confirm that Cameron made the right choice.

[Bootyboomboom]

Well I'd be prepared to give him a chance if he would reverse his support for the Human Rights Act. But how can he be a ECHR-enthusiast AND be anti-crime?

[james]

Cameron exposed as the EUs puppet.

Cameron asks Brown for referendum knowing(and hoping) full well this will fall flat, while desparately hoping he will retain some credibility.

The FACT of the matter is that the EU costitreaty is dead, due to the Irish voting NO Dave is refusing to recognise this - forget the EU as i said D A V E is refusing to recognise this fact.

All Dave has to do is demand that Brown and the EU respect the Irish decision and that the constitreaty is dead.

no need for any FAKE referendum calls from Dave.

I think we now all know Dave will not demand that the EU respect the Irish referendum, and Dave will NOT state that he now regards the constitreaty as dead and that it is now null and void.

EU Dave is a traitor,

YOU ARE BEING CONNED

[Sam Tarran]

I couldn't take any Home Secretary seriously who supported the European Convention on Human Rights.

He'll be a disaster.

[oldnemo]

Clearly Mr Grieve will have to work on his profile for then it will become quite clear that many of the things said above are complete rubbish.

Grieve is committed to scrapping the HRA. Infact he is (or was) the one in charge of drawing up a British Bill of Rights to replace it.

His experience and success in the community cohesion field probably makes him better placed than virtually anyone in the Tory party to understand where home grown terrorism is coming from and how to tackle it.

His knowledge of the criminal justice legislation and anti terrorism stuff is unrivalled in the House. The Government will get hammered by him there.

It wasnt his fault (if there is any) he went to public school. get over it.

Michael Gove and fellow neo cons are a danger to the party and the country. They sound insane.

So good luck to him.

[stephen hoffman]

Michael gove stuck up for david davis on question time Just because you favour a tough line on terrorism doesnt mean your anti civil liberties.

[stephen hoffman]

there is nothing wrong with the european convention of human rights.

Before you all have a massive go at me, please , please ,please liste to me respectfully . As a student of politics it is a council of europe convention - a body which is different to the EU and contains many nations not in the EU such as switzerland , Russia and norway - they are all privy to the human rights convention . If we pull out how does that make the UK look , pretty damn terrible -especially when countries like Russia abide by it .

The problem is with how the act is applied by overzealous judges playing into the hands of criminals who say i know my rights

[stephen hoffman]

look there is no point in trying diplomacy with radical islamic extremists - and to say that the 7/7 Bombers could be justified thats crap -we need to speak out against the terrorists, if we dont - it gives it legitimacy.

[Andrew Allison]

Will there be a Conservative Home bus coming to East Yorkshire? I will welcome you, as will will all of us in the constituency. Please come. Will you?

[ChrisD]

"He's genuine and sincere, which sadly, seems to be a problems these days."

I agree with SteveR, and would add that he is an impressive performer in Parliament.
Having watched him over the last couple of years I don't think he is an automatic yes man either. In fact, the range of strong and individually minded politicians who Cameron has chosen has got to be one of the strongest foundations of our Shadow Cabinet. This is in stark comparison to the government front bench who seem to weaken Brown's already poor position further because of the lack of *individual* thinkers that could balance the message from the government.
So I wholeheartedly welcome Dominic Grieve's appointment and look forward to seeing him action over the coming days and months.
Another like minded individual similar to David Davies is no bad thing in our shadow cabinet.

[Goldie]

Absolutely the wrong appointment.
He should have made my friend Michael Gove Shadow Home Secretary

But it highlights what I have been saying for years: the current parliamentary party doesn't have enough cabinet potential in it. This is a major problem for any future Cameron government, especially if he wins a second term. I do hope they have sufficient people of the highest caliber positioned to win seats at the next general election.

[Alan S]

We have a Shadow Chancellor who doesn't want to cut taxes,

A Shadow Foreign Secretary who doesn't want to really alter our subservience to the EU,

And now a Shadow Home Secretary who makes excuses for the bombers of 7/7.

We will miss David Davis.

[Neil Allen]

I would like to say that I agree with James Forsyth; and I also share his fears especially about the views he has shown towards the European Convention on Human Rights.
Its a hard one but I think the post should have actually remained unfilled until the return of David Davis thus showing full party support for his cause and the parties need for his return. However I cant say enough about how let down I feel by the actions of David Davis, while I think he is a fantastic politician, this country; at the moment is the pits! and I just cant help but feel that David has taken the party backwards with the finish line so near in sight.

If you want a vision of the future, Winston, imagine a boot stamping on a human face forever. Labour have to go!

[David Williams]

Is this the Dominic Grieve who said he thought the bomb attacks on London were "explicable" because of the deep sense of anger, fuelled by the Iraq war and despair about the Islamic world, felt by some Muslims in the UK?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4736969.stm

[Auntie Flo']

I've great respect for Dominic Grieve, so apologise to him for this, but I have to say that David Davis must have his job returned to him after the by election.

The following is one of the most recent BBC Have Your Say comments on Davis's brave stand, one of 100,000s of comments, the vast majority of them praising Davis, which are swamping BBC's HYS at present.

"As a socialist who cannot recognise this present government I applaud David Davis, how dare Brown call this a farce he insults all of us by attempting to reduce this statement David has made to a political points match.

I for one congratulate David davis, so used to politicians lining their own nest, so used have we become to the cynical nature of the system that has been created around us, can we not see an honest statement when we see one.

I'll vote for you David, let's change the system !"

[Neil Allen]

" Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."-Benjamin Franklin
Seems ironic that it comes from America, but its a great quote.

[Neil Allen]

" Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."-Benjamin Franklin
Seems ironic that it comes from America, but its a great quote.

[Trinny and Susannah]

Funny looking geezer Grieve, ain't he?

The key problem for our frontbench team is a lack of attractivenesss. Voters respond to pleasant, open looks - think Blair, Cameron, Obama. They are turned off by uglies and baldies - think Kinnock, Hague, IDS.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I think of our senior frontbench team only Cameron, Fox and Duncan would get more than a 7 in terms of attractiveness. Osborne is passable so long as he keeps the weight off (glad to hear he's been in the gym). Gove frightens the children when he exposes his teeth. Hammond, Grayling and Lansley are so-so in a bland sort of way. And I fear that Theresa May's sex kitten days are drawing to an end.

The first move should be to get the scrumptious Owen Paterson further up the ladder. This chap should be modelling for Hackett. What a fox!

And get Daniel Kawzcyinski in - his smouldering Polish good looks would be a sure fire hit in the suburbs.

Jeremy Hunt also has a cheeky glint in his eye and deserves more time in the spotlight.

Not sure about the potential female talent in the ranks. Any ideas?

[Auntie Flo']

Anyway, no one scalps nulab Home Secretaries like David Davis!

[Rev Smurf]

I see a real star of the near Future In Mark Harper. Mark is attractive, as well as devilishly clever..I don't often push personality's but I have spent enough time with this Guy to be certain that he has the right stuff. As it is the man has plenty of time on his side. If there is a faction of harpics in the near future remeber that this old reverent...gave you the nod and wink.

[Marian]

Rev Smurf...do you think Harpies might be a better name ?

[Rev Smurf]

http://www.markharper.org/

Well maybe his female supporters..I prefer Harpics because he will clean up the welfare state.