What funny games appear to be going on in Westminster at the moment. First, Labour and the DUP redefine porkbarreling for the UK context (deny everything, smirk, smirk), then David Davis resigns - with Clegg’s backing.
In terms of the latter, I’m just confused by the whole business. It is a little moot about whether Clegg should have agreed to not field a candidate against the Tories or not on the basis that it is hard to see how Davis would have resigned if he hadn’t. I don’t think it makes the Lib Dems look particularly bad; by contrast it is the Tories who appear to be in danger of haemorrhaging over this.
But if I were Gordon Brown I wouldn’t even consider fielding a candidate. Davis is gaming the system - attempting to magic a mandate against 42 days out of a by-election. The only grounds on which he will be able to claim such a mandate is if Brown is foolish enough to fall for the trick. And of course Brown isn’t that stupid is he?
Is he?
It may simply be that Davis has calculated that Brown has now so completely lost it that he would fall for something like this. For myself, I’m not so confident.
With the BNP refusing to field a candidate and UKIP indicating they might not either, this could be the OMRLP’s defining moment. In such a situation, I have to admit I would be sorely tempted to make the trip up to Howden. It would be sweet revenge on the Tories getting Howling Laud Hope elected in exchange for Boris Johnson. LOOK AT HIS FUNNEEE HAT!!! LOL!!!!
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The Loonies are remarkably good at behaving like a sensible party when it would benefit them - I can easily imagine them making a statement that they won’t stand.
It’s very easy to imagine Davis having to trek round his constituency trying to have a sensible debate with an ex-beauty queen and someone standing to promote a local nightclub.
Meanwhile we get to put out leaflets in Henley saying that the Conservatives in Parliament are such a weak force for change that one of their most respected members had to quit them in order to get listened to.
Labour are going to look hopeless whether they stand or not - and we should all cheer that.
Yet they do constantly talk about public support for 42 days. Surely they should now put up or shut up.
Andy- I hope we will not use this is a cheap way.
The fact is that Davis has risked his credibility (if not really his seat) to promote civil liberties. We should actively support him because it’s right to do so and, if you really insist on a cynical aspect because it’s not in our interest for Tories to be tought of as the civil liberties party.
So it looks like Davis will face off against … Kelvin MacKenzie. What an awful choice!