I watched Quentin Davies on Newsnight last night and what struck me most was 
how he had not even thought through his political future as a Labour MP.
Asked if he was likely to stand as a Labour candidate in his constituency of Grantham and Stamford in the next general election, he said he had no idea. He has clearly not decided what happens next. Perhaps his admiration of Gordon Brown will have waned by then and he will decide to switch to Liberal Democrats.
Clearly he can’t stand in his same present constituency for Labour unless he is hugely popular. That does not appear the case. The most obvious test would be for him to stand in Sedgefield after Tony Blair resigns later today, which Alan Duncan suggested on Newsnight; I was itching for him to say it as the same question was on my lips.
Even if Davies was cheesed off with David Cameron, he should have shown loyalty to his constituents and local conservative association, whose chairman has expressed deep disappointment, saying:
I am astonished to hear about Quentin Davies’s new-found admiration for Gordon Brown, which has not been at all evident before this afternoon. If he is as straightforward and devoted to his constituents as he protests, no doubt he will resign and fight a by-election, so that that the people can decide. Until then, Quentin will have the same lack of democratic mandate that his new leader does.
Jon2, a local constituent posting a comment on the Peterborough Evening Telegraph website, feels the same:
“The people of Stamford (and Grantham) voted for a Tory MP – not a Labour one. How can Davies swap without any sort of consultation. There should be a by-election so voters can demonstrate their opposition to this move. It is not right.”
I agree with their views, why should Davies be allowed to take the easy way out with scant regard for his local conservative association which has supported him? Who is going to support Davies when he looks for a new seat at the next election, which could be fairly soon if Gordon Brown decides he wants to establish his personal mandate and authority as Prime Minister?
It seems to me that Quentin Davies is a dead duck.
P.S. Do you think that Quentin Davies looks like Jack Nicholson, the main difference being that the Hollywood actor smiles while Davies scowls?
[…] Even in the build-up to the fight against British imperialism, when subject nations knew the perfidious cunning of Albion, the reputation of this country was upheld by its most vocal detractors. Blair has taken us as low as we can go. Brown let him. Now the new PM expects to break from the ignoble decade and raise us up with resonant words. The desperate nation is once more vulnerable to the bringer of good hope. Careful now, hold back, stay alert and don’t be swept away this time. Blair never learnt any lessons, but we must. Conservative British warmonger MP Quentin Davies joins ‘New’ Labour: here. […]
Parachuting QD into Sedgefield…interesting idea. But I suspect the Sedgefield CLP will be looking for a more down-to-earth, “local” candidate post-TB. Someone who has worked as a coal miner,etc. Not some public school/Oxbridge type. Like TB.
I do hope QD, by all accounts he is socially conservative, will have a chance to exchange views with his new Deputy Leader Harriet H. Oh, to be a fly on the wall in that discussion.
Is Quentin Davies really a ‘dead duck’? Or is he a rat fleeing from a sinking ship? To tell you the truth, I think maybe the latter.
I think more than anything this proves that you need nano-technology in order to differentiate between the two main parties nowadays.
Defections from the main political parties shouldn’t really come as a surprise to anybody, should it?
This dis surprise me a little- and disappoint.
I didn’t always agree with Quentin Davies, but I did respect him as an old school, honourable politician.
I actually agree with much of his analysis of Cameron’s Tories, but I don’t get why he switched to Labour.
But if Cameron can’t hold MPs like this, he’s in trouble.
The point about Gordon Brown having no democratic mandate is spurious- though I have sen many bloggers allude to it.
We elect our legislature. We do not elect our executive. That is appointed by the Queen based on working majorities in the commons.
Like it or not, that is the constitution.
Quentin Letts interview was very interesting in terms of how (un)prepared he was. Not sure if you saw the piece following – all about trying to secure an interview with Brown. Most entertaining too, and worth a view if you get a chance.
QD is irrelevant. I look forward to him defending NuLabour’s policies on gay adoption, etc.
Crushed, GB was appointed leader of his party and has now been appointed as PM. It has been coronations all the way with Brown-neither Labour members nor the British public have chosen the new prime minister. In 2005, there was a large number who voted Labour on the strength of a decreasing but still significant respect for the Prime Minister. They voted for Tony, and yet they now get Gordon.
Jim Callaghan in 1976 and John Major in 1990 were at least elected leader by their own parties. GB has no democratic mandate….
Istanbul T- No Tory PM before Heath was elected by the party.
We do not elect our executives.
PMs are appointed on the basis of ability to form a working majority in the commons.
Brown can do that.
Ellee, there is an enormous amount of hypocrisy coming from the Tories over this defection. Only a few weeks ago the Tories openly tried to get David Laws, Lib Dem MP for Yeovil to defect. Do you for one moment think that the Tories would have called a by-election here ?
15 minutes of fame anyone?
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