Davis for defence?

HistoryMan

I predict that Cameron won't bring DD back at all, because just like Edward Heath he is scared stiff of anyone who threatens to outdo him in any policy area. Hence he surrounds himself with either mediocraties or pale shadows of himself.

TrevorsDen

History Man is talking rubbish - not least because there is no evidence for his anti Heath assertion (and I regard Heath as badly flawed - doesn't everybody?).

Davis lest the shadow cabinet on a wild goose chase. Pity. Hope he gets back, but its his idea to be out in the first place.

TGF UKIP

HistoryMan sums it up exactly and why, in any event, would DD want to be further associated with this bunch of leftish, PC, green losers.

The most glaring inadequacy is the one of which neither you James, nor any other Speccie hack, dare speak - Osborne.

The most important front bench post of all is occupied and will continue to be occupied by the Tories' biggest handicap.

Lucky, lucky, lucky Gordon to have such an "opposition."

strapworld

This, if accurate, just shows that Cameron has no idea whatsoever. Liam Fox is a very good Shadow Defence Secretary - He was and excellent Shadow Health Secretary. I have read about Fox being backstabbed by Cameron and Osborne - a trait that Osborne uses a lot apparantly!- It is about time David Cameron Grew Up and left the Eton School Yard and realised that in life there are people from all walks of life and he has to get on with most of them.

If Lliam Fox is sacked or demoted Cameron will live to regret that move.

Austin Barry

.."it would allow the terrorists to re-establish their safe haven there, as well as be a betrayal of the Afghans who have taken the coalition at its word."

This is nonsense. The terrorists have safe havens in Waziristan and Pakistan and Tipton and Luton etc. etc. Islam is, after all, contra mundum.

Betrayal of the Afghans? Who cares? The Great British public couldn't give a hoot about a bunch of soap-dodging opium farmers in NoWhereStan. Preserving their way of life isn't worth the life of one squaddie, never mind one hundred.

Davis exudes gravitas and a kind of bleak integrity. He is also a genuine hard man from an impoverished background. He makes Cameron and his pallid chums look like fey fugitives from an all gay production of Little Women.

Fergus Pickering

I think Davis is an excellent fellow,but not primarily because he is a 'hard man' but because he is a trustworthy man. Thi urge for hard men some of you feel you should keep it under control. The last century was full of political hard men, most of them disastrous. My favourite world leader at present in Angela Merkel, and in this case what you see is what you get, which certainly isn't a hard man. And perhaps you could aslo get away from the obsession with where people went to school. Most top politicians went to private schools, did they not? That's where the best educations are to be had. Some of the ones who did NOT, Brown, the bloody speaker, Prescott, hardly fill you with confidence, now do they? Of course 'hard man' Davis, Frank Field, William Haig, the late sainted Robin Cook and my good self are fine examples of the state system, but these all may be examples of native genius triumphing over early adversity. I'm sure Eton or Harrow or whatever would have been good for my education, though, as it happens, I am against sending children to boarding schools on principle. Nevertheless.... Oh and anti-gay jokes are a bit much, don't you think? Pitt the Younger, who beat Napoleon, was gay, was he not?

TomTom

David Davis has credibility in those areas where Osborne and Cameron do not. Had he been leader there would have been a General Election by now as Brown would have been mortally wounded just as Thatcher damaged Callaghan even though polls showed "Sunny Jim" more popular

HistoryMan

TrevorsDen - You say there is no evidence for my assertion about Heath. Anthony Barber as Chancellor, need I say more. Also, I worked for Heath's benighted administration and so have direct knoweldge of what went on, and I can tell that he sidelined or drove out anyone that showed any talent or independence of thought. This damaged the Conservative party for some years afterwards. He and his Cabinet were even more clueless than this bunch of clowns - just. But Heath does have the excuse that he was probably seriously ill throughout his entire premiership, and indeed should have been removed at a very early stage of his party leadership.

Verity

Tom Tom - Agreed.

Fergus Pickering - I didn't know Pitt The Younger was gay! I must tell my American gay friends stat!