News from the New Party

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Who dares, wins?

David Davis is known as a fighter - indeed he was a member of a Territorial Army regiment in the SAS - so there was no doubting his personal courage even before his astounding resignation today.

What is more puzzling is why he has done it? He should in theory have no argument with his party - which backed his line of opposition to 42 days detention without charge. There are suggestions that he fell out with David Cameron over the suggestion that a Tory government would repeal the 42 days legislation on taking office - but Dominic Grieve, Mr Davis' successor as Shadow Home Secretary, denies this.

Two views seem to be forming: that David Davis is a courageous and principled defender of civil liberties who is prepared to sacrifice his own career for his cause; or that he is guilty of self-indulgence and undermining his own party leader. These two possibilities are not mutually exclusive, of course.

If, as seems probable, the Labour Party joins the Liberal Democrats in declining to field a candidate against Mr Davis in the forthcoming by-election at Haltemprice and Howden, then the objective of launching a major public debate on the 42 day issue is likely to fail; a by-election walkover is hardly likely to make big news.

On the other hand, by resigning in such a spectacular way, regardless of the views of his party leader and the possible consequence of throwing away the Conservative Party's massive and hard won opinion poll advantage over the government, he may become seen as the man who let Gordon Brown off the hook.

In either case, David Davis has probably seen the end of his front bench career. He may go out with all guns blazing, but the risks of unintended consequences of his kamikaze mission are grave.

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Who dares, wins?