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11/07/2008
Davis Sweeps To By-Election Victory
Conservative David Davis has won the by-election in Haltemprice and Howden.
The former Shadow Home Secretary swept to victory by a majority of 15,355, against the motley assortment of 25 candidates.
However, his 17,113 vote count was smaller that the 22,792 he polled at the 2005 election.
Mr Davis resigned from the seat last month to seek re-election on a civil liberties platform after 42-day pre-charge detention for terror suspects was approved by the Government.
Speaking after the result, Mr Davis said his victory had been a "shot across the bows of Gordon Brown's arrogant, arbitrary and authoritarian Government".
"Today the people of Haltemprice and Howden have delivered a stunning – a stunning – message to the Government, and our campaign has reverberated across the country," he said.
Mr Davis admitted that it was "unlikely" that Tory Leader David Cameron would invite him back onto the party's front bench.
He has promised to "put a lot of effort" into opposing 42 days' detention.
He said that before he resigned his seat, polls showed 69% of people supported the government on 42 days, the figure now stands at 39%.
Mr Davis said he would "fight Gordon Brown's vision of 'Big Brother' Britain tooth and nail, to stop 42 days in its tracks".
It is believed that up to 23 candidates lost their £500 deposits after failing to poll 5% of the vote.
Only Mr Davis, the Greens' Shan Oakes and The English Democrats' Joanne Robinson kept their deposits.
Home Office minister Tony McNulty has called the by-election "a vain stunt that became and remains a farce".
The Liberal Democrats, who came in second in 2005, did not run because they opposed the government's plans to extend the time limit on holding terror suspects.
Those who backed Mr Davis included Bob Geldof, Iraq war veteran Col Tim Collins and Labour MP Bob Marshall Andrews.
See: Davis Stands By Resignation Decision
(DS)
The former Shadow Home Secretary swept to victory by a majority of 15,355, against the motley assortment of 25 candidates.
However, his 17,113 vote count was smaller that the 22,792 he polled at the 2005 election.
Mr Davis resigned from the seat last month to seek re-election on a civil liberties platform after 42-day pre-charge detention for terror suspects was approved by the Government.
Speaking after the result, Mr Davis said his victory had been a "shot across the bows of Gordon Brown's arrogant, arbitrary and authoritarian Government".
"Today the people of Haltemprice and Howden have delivered a stunning – a stunning – message to the Government, and our campaign has reverberated across the country," he said.
Mr Davis admitted that it was "unlikely" that Tory Leader David Cameron would invite him back onto the party's front bench.
He has promised to "put a lot of effort" into opposing 42 days' detention.
He said that before he resigned his seat, polls showed 69% of people supported the government on 42 days, the figure now stands at 39%.
Mr Davis said he would "fight Gordon Brown's vision of 'Big Brother' Britain tooth and nail, to stop 42 days in its tracks".
It is believed that up to 23 candidates lost their £500 deposits after failing to poll 5% of the vote.
Only Mr Davis, the Greens' Shan Oakes and The English Democrats' Joanne Robinson kept their deposits.
Home Office minister Tony McNulty has called the by-election "a vain stunt that became and remains a farce".
The Liberal Democrats, who came in second in 2005, did not run because they opposed the government's plans to extend the time limit on holding terror suspects.
Those who backed Mr Davis included Bob Geldof, Iraq war veteran Col Tim Collins and Labour MP Bob Marshall Andrews.
See: Davis Stands By Resignation Decision
(DS)
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