You have to hand it to Labour they always manage to pull it off - and the stream of Tory defectors (9 in 10 years) continues to swell their ranks and boost their PR. However they always manage to do this because of the line of Tory dimwits willing to aid Blair and Labour in their quest to bugger up Britain.
Quentin Davies is the latest MP to do this and the defection will give Brown a much needed boost on the day that he becomes Prime Minister. It is certainly bad news for the Cameron Big Tent and it does raise the issue of how many other MPs are so-discontented with his leadership. But...
I believe this whoe sorry affair says more about the judgement and character of Quentin Davies than it does about the Cameron leadership. Davies is one of the few people in politics that doesn't see how Brown will chew him up and spit him out - being used by a party that he has fought against for 20 years and a politican he referred to as "losing control", "imprudent" whom he hoped "something nasty" would happen to. Now Davies suddenly changes his mind. Do we really want this man on our benches specifically or even as a British member of parliament generally?
And this is before we come to his voting record. Quite frankly I hadn't realised what a throw-back he was before looking into this in detail. He voted against gay rights, against the fox hunting ban, against anti-terrorism law and for the war on Iraq. If that is the person that the Labour Party want on their side then they are welcome to him. How Labour can accept Davies or how Davies can accept Labour is beyond me.
The truth is that this defection isn't about policy, or leadership or even principle. It is about one rather tragic figure who will now find himself isolated on both side of the House of Commons. Judging by the mauling Davies got on Newsnight he has got some rough days ahead of him. I won't shed any tears and look forward to the phrase "Con gain Grantham & Stamford" at the next election ... because he won't have the guts to fight a by-election.
I will leave this post with a true story. I spoke to a fellow Tory Councillor on the phone this afternoon. He said: "I was thinking about defecting to Labour until I heard they'd accepted Quentin Davies. Now I don't think I'll bother - I don't want to be associated with people like him." Well said, Councillor!
UPDATE: It should be pointed out that Mr Davies was a shadow cabinet member under IDS and now feels at home with Mr Brown. Who should be worried more by this - Iain or Gordon?
2 comments:
Itobvious that is fairly evident Tories are outraged and siyhing . from this defection. If it was not important there would be little reaction. However for Alan Duncan to turn up, this is very serious.
Cameron spin, style no substance grammar schools etc, are coming home to roost. Other unhappy Tories in the wings. I would seem Davies is far from alone. Tory implosion???
You have a Tory councillor who is thinking of defecting? The concerns are quite widespread then?
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