Former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie is "90 per cent certain" to put his name forward" and run against Conservative MP and egomaniac David Davis. I really hope he does.
MacKenzie said yesterday that: "I have been associated with The Sun for 30 years. The Sun is very, very hostile to David Davis because of his 28-day stance and The Sun has always been very up for 42 days and perhaps even 420 days."
Davis says it is all about civil liberties and opposing the government's plan to hold terrorist suspects for 42-day, but clearly it is not about that. Having bludgeoned his own party into opposing a police supported Gordon Brown plan to fight terror it is clear that this by-election move is about his personal political celebrity so overshadowed by David Cameron who beat him in the battle for the Tory Party leadership.
While there is often much to dislike about MacKenzie he has been a force to be reckoned with in the British media for more than 20 years. From the Sun to TalkSport and back again. It seems whatever it is he does he always keeps it interesting and despite myself, and as a Labour Party member, I have enjoyed some of his popularist stunts and front pages from his 'Stick it up your Junta' to 'Up Yours Delores'. Yes, I know it's wrong, but I can't help myself. He is no Nigel Barton, but he says exactly what is on his mind. Davis wants us to think the same of him, but it is simply not true.
As the ever spineless Liberal Democrats led by sex god Nick Clegg have decline to field a candidate. I am hoping that Labour do the same. They should not listen to some in the party who want to fight. It will only indulge the vain Davis by fielding a candidate and the battle should not be dignified with a Labour candidate and should instead be left to descend into the media farce that it will become.
With the debate about 42-days detention supported by the Sun and the police I hope Rupert Murdoch backs his man and they run a campaign and to stand. Davis has a majority of a more than 5,000 in the East Yorkshire constituency of Haltemprice and Howden. It is not an insurmountable figure. Davis can and should be beaten so as not to reward him with any kind of victory for wasting time and money with this fight.
That said I am enjoying the discomfort it is causing to Cameron who has only risen as Gordon Brown's seesaw has fallen.
Davis is coming under pressure form Tory Grandees including Lord Heseltine who has described Davis's decision move as "incomprehensible". It is just that. Lord Tebbit is equally dumbstruck.
"I find it difficult to understand the logic of it. He won the argument in the Shadow Cabinet and he won the argument in the debate in the Commons and then he calls a by-election. It seems to me over the top. It's beyond my comprehension," Tebbit said.
There is something to thank Davis for. He has saved us somewhat from Big Brother. Maybe he should go into the house and canvas for votes. It is it seems the house that he is best suited to rather than any in Westminster where there is real work to be done.
Gordon Macmillan
Blogging for:
Member since: 03 Jun 2008
Last login: 25 Nov 2009
Total Posts: 1,621
