In the longer-term, it could achieve just that. If Mr Davis is successful, it will explode the Prime Minister's claim that there is public support for the measure and make it much harder for Labour to use the Parliament Act to force the measure through the Lords.
But without doubt, this decision also has to be seen as a severe blow to David Cameron. It is clear there has been some almighty bust-up between the Tories' two main men, and as a result Mr Cameron's authority will now be seriously called into question.
Davis was also the best-performing member of the Shadow Cabinet by a mile and has consistently made all his opposite numbers at the Home Office appear "unfit for purpose" in John Reid's immortal words. If this is the end of his frontbench career, it will be a sad loss to the party - and potentially to the country to.
3 comments:
Think you're right about there being more to this than meets the eye.
I cannot see how a Tory victory in a constituency with no Labour councillors, where Labour polled 6,000 in the last election (and was once held by Alan B'stad according to Wikipedia) will prove anything at all.
It's very difficult to say how this will play out.
It could be bad for Cameron but the point is he has the time and opportunity to address that - TV pictures of him and DD roaming the streets of Newport laughing and joking with residents will kill the 'Tory rift' stories dead.
I think it is a stunt and he shouldn't have did it - but it will be a measure of how far Cameron has taken the Tories if he can survive this.
This is an open goal for Labour.
Sit back, refuse to dignify Davis's response with a candidate and then pin Cameron with every line in Davis's election address.
Gordon Brown will be a very happy man tonight...
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