Will David Davis be denied a publicity triumph?

Recusant

Except it would then show that the Labour Party was not prepared to defend its own legislation: which would show it up for the political manoeuvering it was.

Huw Thornton

Yes, this is a good point.

In a sense, this is a no-lose decision for Labour. If on the other hand they put up a candidate, nobody would expect them to win. In winning a contest, David Davis would however have greater authority - as against David Cameron.

It hangs on whether Labour would prefer to shaft DD or DC.

This kind of situation is being called "unprecedented" for a reason - nobody has ever been stupid enough to do such a thing in the past.

Kevyn Bodman

If Labour don't field a candidate then they are a bunch of cowards.
Davis is campaigning on what he sees as the erosion of liberty in Britain, it's not confined to 42 day detention. ID cards will be in there too, I assume.
Davis will be campaigning against policies that Labour has advocated and implemented in the last 11 years.
Labour must surely run a candidate, if they have any principles at all, or 'cojones.'

Ruairidh

I just made a comment elsewhere on this blog to this effect. Labour should sit this one out and show this up as a PR stunt.

oldtimer

If Labour fails to field a candidate it will be game, set and match to DD. It would be seen as a craven act of cowardice by Labour.

If they do, it will then be a real test of public opinion vs the opinion poll "evidence" advanced in support of the proposal by GB.

I found his statement both magnificent and electrifying - at last we have a politician willing to put his job on the line on an issue of principle.

Somehow I do not think he will want for or lack volunteers to support his cause when the time for the bye-elction comes.

Miranda

If Labour don't stand they have lost anyway - they have been unable to defend they own position. That gives more ammunition to the House of Lords. If they stand they will lose because the voters will vote against them.

Great move. Heads they lose, tails they lose

Fergus Pickering

Can I ask what you, James Forsyth, think about forty-two days? Are you with Davis or against him? Or are you not going to tell us. For myyself, I agree with Davis ABSOLUTELY. I consider this government to be corrupt and against individual liberty, the worst and most wicked government I have ever seen in this country. What, I ask you again, is your view?

James Forsyth

Fergus, Of course. As I've said on here before, I'm agnostic. If I had had to vote last night I would have voted against because I don't see how someone could have had a fair trial once Parliament had been recalled and voted on the issues surrounding their detention. Hope that clears things up.

CS

James, our suspicions were hardly allayed by your earlier report of last night's squalid vote-mongering under the line "Men of goodwill disgreed today" which rather suggested that you saw the whole affair as Parliament at its very best.

Bury Boy

This could well be the very final nail in Brown's coffin. Labour have to put up a candidate or effectively admit that Davis is right. If we have a few weeks of focus on this government's abuse of individual freedoms followed by a crushing defeat, Brown will have nowhere to go.
I'm sure that DD has done this as a matter of principle, but he might also have recognised that Brown's obsession with an issue that is frankly irrelevant in the overall scale of things could be his downfall.

C Powell

James: you're agnostic on whether someone should be detained without charge!!! If you don't understand why that principle is such a fundamental underpinning of a liberal democracy, a free society, then I suggest you go away and study some English history books. No wonder Labour managed to win 3 elections.

Max Kaye

Well said Fergus.

Charles

6am phone call - "Eh, hello. Is that Mr Davis I'm speaking to? Mr Davis this is Gordon Brown, eh, the Prime Minister. Mr Davis, or perhaps I should say Lord Davis, I have a proposition for you....."

Fergus Pickering

James. Agnostic? AGNOSTIC? If I had bigger capitals I'd use them. And can you tell me what they do in France, Germany etc when they wish to lock up dangerous Muslims?

Nicholas

Fergus: "I consider this government to be corrupt and against individual liberty, the worst and most wicked government I have ever seen in this country."

You are not alone, sir, and I suspect neither will David Davis be.

New Labour have managed to create a situation where this goes quite beyond conventional party politics. David Davis lucidly summarised the clear and present danger represented by this government. Trivialising the issues of personal freedom and privacy, as Labour will try to do, will be the equivalent of appeasement to Hitler in the 1930's.

I hope that this is a turning point in British politics and that everyone concerned about the erosion of hard worn and ancient freedoms by this most repressive of governments, will flock to DD's banner.

Max

I have to admit I have mixed feelings - part of me admires Davis for having the independence and courage of his convictions to do what he's doing, and part of me thinks he's a self-indulgent grandstanding idiot. And I have a lot of time for David Davis.

I can see, though, that there is a chance that this could do far more damage to Brown than is immediately apparent.

Time will tell.

Max
http://theerrorlog.blogspot.com

cameronp

The idea is to bankrupt the Labour party by handing out a series of by-elections at enormous cost-great strategy from the moneybags people

Anton

Parliament should decide these things, not just DD's constituents. Labour should him to it and get on with governing...

Max

Labour's best strategy would be not to field a candidate and ignore the by-election, which means they will probably do the opposite.

http://theerrorlog.blogspot.com/2008/06/42-days-deals.html

David Lindsay

The Conservative Party's refusal to fund this by-election campaign says it all, as does Cameron's stitch up of no candidates from the Lib Dems (certainly) or Labour (probably, and in that case in breach of its own Constitution) in order to deny Davis his victory.

If Labour really won't be putting up, then one of the commentariat supporters of 42 days should do so as an Independent. What are they afraid of?

Fergus Pickering

Anton, Labur should get on with what? Did you say governing? Is THAT what they do? Brown, Darling, Straw, Smith... all governing? Good Heavens!

molesworth 1

Re David Lindsay @ 4.53pm:
Could you further explain the point that Labour is bound by its Constitution to field a candidate, as it is one of the most interesting things I've read about this situation since the story broke. If it's true I want to see the buggers squirm...