Labour to decline challenging Davis?
Peter Hoskin 5:40pmOver at Three Line Whip, it's being reported that Labour think it "highly unlikely" that they'll put forward a candidate in David Davis' constituency of Haltemprice & Howden. As James said earlier, victory in an effectively uncontested by-election could leave Davis with egg on his face.



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Yorkshire Pete
June 12th, 2008 6:03pm Report this commentYou need to get out more. It will leave a lot of us in awe of a politician who - finally - has done the right thing on an issue that matters. And I'm no Tory.
David Lindsay
June 12th, 2008 6:24pm Report this commentOne of you commentariat supporters of 42 days should stand as an Independent. What are you afraid of?
Max Kaye
June 12th, 2008 6:25pm Report this comment...or the government demonstrating that they are a bunch of cowards with no one willing to argue their case.....
Pete
June 12th, 2008 6:38pm Report this commentHow very typical of Gordon Brown! Rather than put up a challenger to defend his Governments policies he bottles it and says they won't fight. As a matter of principle and honour they should contest this election.
NickL
June 12th, 2008 6:55pm Report this commentOn the other hand, if Labour believe in what they are doing, they have to rebut David Davis' challeenge. Otherwise they will be seen to duck the issue they claim to hold to as a matter of principle.
Kevyn Bodman
June 12th, 2008 7:01pm Report this commentIt won't leave Davis with egg on his face at all.
It'll make Labour look like cowards for running away from the chance to advocate the policies that Davis is attacking them on.
And it'll make them look they they are playing petty politics with the liberties of the people.
Of course they ARE cowards and they ARE playing petty party politics.
I hope you journalists do your job and make sure it is reported that this is not just about 42 day detention.
Craig Strachan
June 12th, 2008 7:11pm Report this commentIf the Lib Dems and Labour sit on the sidelines, David Davis will have achieved little - except perhaps handing a golden publicity opportunity to the BNP and other fringe parties.
Is it really too late for Davis to re-think this?
J H Holloway
June 12th, 2008 7:16pm Report this commentNot so.
If Labour won't defend the 42 day policy - they're running away.
If they do - they will be beaten into oblivion.
Can't see how Davis can loose. He's given up his shadow cabinet position and put his front bench career on the line.
Read the blogs - even the Guardian CiF. Lots of support for Davis. He has balls the like of which haven't been seen since Maggie left.
David C
June 12th, 2008 7:20pm Report this commentI'm back again (boo! hiss!),
So I don't know if this point has been made.
Gordon Brown stood unopposed to become leader of his party and Prime Minister.
The Labour Party has a track record of ducking out of votes wherever they can get away with it.
It would hardly be a shock if the Labour Party dodged this one as well.
A party with nous could summon up some form of opposition so that the arguments could be thoroughly aired.
This is sufficiently important for the Lib Dems to not field a candidate, so they might be persuaded to put up a figure to fight out a debate that must be fought.
Or perhaps we have all become so enervated by the grey mediocrity of machine politics that we can no longer face the difficult questions.
John
June 12th, 2008 7:38pm Report this comment"victory in an effectively uncontested by-election could leave Davis with egg on his face"
What nonsense. He'll have made his point.
You journos really do spout a lot of drivel.
Labour Member
June 12th, 2008 7:41pm Report this commenthe went on a mad ego trip which was all about settling scores inside the Tory Party. If he is humiliated he deserves it.
On the other hand given that Davis has defined the issues in this election as CCTV, ID cards, DNA database and anti-terrorism you feel that a braver Labour Party would take him on and - probably beat him.
David Davis's charter for criminals has a certain feel to it.
David
June 12th, 2008 7:44pm Report this commentNot unless he sells it as "The government is so proud of its civil liberties record, it refuses to fight an election on it".
Labour Member
June 12th, 2008 9:23pm Report this commentLord Randolph Churchill anyone?
Pete
June 12th, 2008 9:26pm Report this commentBy his principled actions David Davis has tapped into a huge resovoir of resentment against this Goverments intrusive legislation. It goes right across party loyalties, age and gender. The more the Labour party run away from putting up a challenger the more despicable they will look.
Victor, NW Kent
June 12th, 2008 9:36pm Report this commentWith 67% of voters in favour of the 42 day Bill surely Labour could find someone who was not too "frit" to stand? After all they are guaranteed to win - Brown told us that his way was the only right way. He should have the courage of his convictions.
Silent Hunter
June 12th, 2008 10:01pm Report this commentI think the word for ZaNuLabour is "Frit" LOL
Cogito Ergosum
June 12th, 2008 10:08pm Report this commentWhat a pity the other 190 Conservative MPs don't resign, and also the 36 Labour MPs who opposed the 42 days. Then we would have a near-general election.
Commondog
June 12th, 2008 10:27pm Report this commentI reckon he was fed up with the whole Westminster panto. This just gave him a way of going out in style.
Robert Williams
June 13th, 2008 12:17am Report this commentVictor's comment above appears to anticipate a contested election & a Labour win with the electorate of H&H (where Labour was in 3rd place in 2005)voting only on DD's agenda. They would not & when DD won, labour could shrug it off.
Better for Labour to endure a couple of days of taunting as frit & then leave the preposterous Davis to quietly stew for a few weeks 200 miles from Westminster.
Fergus Pickering
June 13th, 2008 4:21am Report this commentIs Labour Member REALLY a member of the Labour Party? I didn't know there were any left. It's like finding somebodyyou thought was normal is actually a member of the BNP. You wonder what goes on in their little heads, don't you? Me, I put it down to not being breast-fed as a baby.
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