Peter Parka
Well-Known Member
David Davis resigns from Commons
David Davis explains why he is resigning
Shadow home secretary David Davis has resigned as an MP.
He is to force a by-election in his Haltemprice and Howden constituency which he will fight on the issue of the new 42-day terror detention limit.
Mr Davis, 59, told reporters outside the House of Commons he believed his move was a "noble endeavour" to stop the erosion of British civil liberties.
He is one of the best-known opposition MPs and his resignation came as a complete surprise in Westminster.
He told reporters outside the Commons: "I will argue in this by-election against the slow strangulation of fundamental British freedoms by this government."
BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson said it was an extraordinary move which was almost without precedent in British politics.
Mr Davis has led the opposition to Labour's plans to extend the maximum limit terror suspects can be held beyond the current 42 day maximum.
On Wednesday, he accused the government of "buying" the nine votes they needed to get the legislation through the Commons.
He vowed that the Conservatives, who are the official opposition and favourites to win at the next election, would continue the fight in the House of Lords.
'Personal decision'
Shadow attorney general Dominic Grieve, who will take over as shadow home secretary, rubbished reports the Tory leadership was split on the issue and said a future Conservative government would repeal it.
He said he would be campaigning for Mr Davis in the by-election - but added it would be Mr Davis' own personal campaign and he would receive no financial support from Tory HQ.
Asked about Mr Davis' resignation, Tory leader David Cameron said: "It was a personal decision, a decision he has made."
He said it was a "courageous" move and he hoped Conservatives would support Mr Davis's by-election campaign.
But he stressed the work of the shadow home secretary - on knife crime and other issues - "must go on" and he praised Mr Grieve as a "star performer".
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "Faced with a crucial decision on the safety and protection of the British public, the Conservatives have collapsed into total disarray on what is their first big policy test since they have come under greater scrutiny.
"David Cameron must come clean on what has really happened and why David Davis has really resigned."
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who also voted against 42 day detention, said his party would not be fielding a candidate in the by-election, after speaking to Mr Davis.
'Stunt'
Labour MP Denis MacShane said he was sure Mr Davis would win the by-election but added "I think this will be seen as a stunt" which showed the Conservatives were "utterly unfit" for government.
The former Europe Minister said he thought Mr Cameron had "cut the ground from under David Davis by not pledging to repeal 42 days" if the Tories won the next election.
But he said Mr Davis' decision to resign was "a bad day for Parliament" and said he did not personally think Labour should run a candidate against him in the by-election.
Mr Davis mounted a passionate attack on government plans to extend terror detention in the Commons on Wednesday - only to see the government win the key vote by the narrowest of margins.
In his resignation statement, he said he feared 42 days was just the beginning and next "we'll next see 56 days, 70 days, 90 days."
But, he added: "In truth, 42 days is just one - perhaps the most salient example - of the insidious, surreptitious and relentless erosion of fundamental British freedoms."
He listed the growth of the "database state," government "snooping" ID cards, the erosion of jury trials and other issues.
"This cannot go on. It must be stopped and for that reason today I feel it is incumbent on me to make a stand," said Mr Davis.
"At least my electorate and the nation as a whole will have had the opportunity to debate and consider one of the most fundamental issues of our day - the ever intrusive power of the state into our lives, the loss of privacy, the loss of freedom and the steady attrition undermining the rule of law," he said.
Local party
Mr Davis' local party fully backed his decision, its chairman Duncan Gilmour said.
"David discussed early in the week what he would do if the result went against us last night. "David is a man of principle and we fully back him," he said.
The Lib Dems had targeted the seat in 2005 as part of its ill-fated "decapitation" strategy to unseat key Tory figures but Mr Davis was re-elected with a 5,116 majority.
Mr Clegg said the party would fight the seat at the next general election but he said the "unnecessary and illiberal" 42 day proposal transcended party politics.
Story from BBC NEWS:
I've got huge respect for him for taking a stand. :clap The Labour government just gets worse and worse when it comes to slowly chipping away at peoples liberties. It's a sad situation when I actually trust the house of lords more than the government!
David Davis explains why he is resigning
Shadow home secretary David Davis has resigned as an MP.
He is to force a by-election in his Haltemprice and Howden constituency which he will fight on the issue of the new 42-day terror detention limit.
Mr Davis, 59, told reporters outside the House of Commons he believed his move was a "noble endeavour" to stop the erosion of British civil liberties.
He is one of the best-known opposition MPs and his resignation came as a complete surprise in Westminster.
He told reporters outside the Commons: "I will argue in this by-election against the slow strangulation of fundamental British freedoms by this government."
BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson said it was an extraordinary move which was almost without precedent in British politics.
Mr Davis has led the opposition to Labour's plans to extend the maximum limit terror suspects can be held beyond the current 42 day maximum.
On Wednesday, he accused the government of "buying" the nine votes they needed to get the legislation through the Commons.
He vowed that the Conservatives, who are the official opposition and favourites to win at the next election, would continue the fight in the House of Lords.
'Personal decision'
Shadow attorney general Dominic Grieve, who will take over as shadow home secretary, rubbished reports the Tory leadership was split on the issue and said a future Conservative government would repeal it.
He said he would be campaigning for Mr Davis in the by-election - but added it would be Mr Davis' own personal campaign and he would receive no financial support from Tory HQ.
Asked about Mr Davis' resignation, Tory leader David Cameron said: "It was a personal decision, a decision he has made."
He said it was a "courageous" move and he hoped Conservatives would support Mr Davis's by-election campaign.
But he stressed the work of the shadow home secretary - on knife crime and other issues - "must go on" and he praised Mr Grieve as a "star performer".
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "Faced with a crucial decision on the safety and protection of the British public, the Conservatives have collapsed into total disarray on what is their first big policy test since they have come under greater scrutiny.
"David Cameron must come clean on what has really happened and why David Davis has really resigned."
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who also voted against 42 day detention, said his party would not be fielding a candidate in the by-election, after speaking to Mr Davis.
'Stunt'
Labour MP Denis MacShane said he was sure Mr Davis would win the by-election but added "I think this will be seen as a stunt" which showed the Conservatives were "utterly unfit" for government.
The former Europe Minister said he thought Mr Cameron had "cut the ground from under David Davis by not pledging to repeal 42 days" if the Tories won the next election.
But he said Mr Davis' decision to resign was "a bad day for Parliament" and said he did not personally think Labour should run a candidate against him in the by-election.
Mr Davis mounted a passionate attack on government plans to extend terror detention in the Commons on Wednesday - only to see the government win the key vote by the narrowest of margins.
In his resignation statement, he said he feared 42 days was just the beginning and next "we'll next see 56 days, 70 days, 90 days."
But, he added: "In truth, 42 days is just one - perhaps the most salient example - of the insidious, surreptitious and relentless erosion of fundamental British freedoms."
He listed the growth of the "database state," government "snooping" ID cards, the erosion of jury trials and other issues.
"This cannot go on. It must be stopped and for that reason today I feel it is incumbent on me to make a stand," said Mr Davis.
"At least my electorate and the nation as a whole will have had the opportunity to debate and consider one of the most fundamental issues of our day - the ever intrusive power of the state into our lives, the loss of privacy, the loss of freedom and the steady attrition undermining the rule of law," he said.
Local party
Mr Davis' local party fully backed his decision, its chairman Duncan Gilmour said.
"David discussed early in the week what he would do if the result went against us last night. "David is a man of principle and we fully back him," he said.
The Lib Dems had targeted the seat in 2005 as part of its ill-fated "decapitation" strategy to unseat key Tory figures but Mr Davis was re-elected with a 5,116 majority.
Mr Clegg said the party would fight the seat at the next general election but he said the "unnecessary and illiberal" 42 day proposal transcended party politics.
Story from BBC NEWS:
I've got huge respect for him for taking a stand. :clap The Labour government just gets worse and worse when it comes to slowly chipping away at peoples liberties. It's a sad situation when I actually trust the house of lords more than the government!
