Davis wins Howden by-election

Published on 17th July 2008 in News

David Davis emerged triumphant from the Haltemprice and Howden by-election last week, hailing it a 'victory for freedom'.

He collected 17,113 votes on Thursday after resigning over the Government's plan to detain terror suspects for 42 days. The by-election is believed to have cost in the region of £200,000.

A higher than expected 34.5 per cent of people turned out to vote, compared to 70.1 per cent for the 2005 General Election, when Mr Davis won with a majority of 5,116. Green Party candidate Shan Oakes came second with 1,758 votes and in third place was English Democrat candidate Joanne Robinson with 1,714 votes.

In total 26 candidates contested the by-election, the other 25 included Miss Great Britain, Mad Cow-Girl from the Monster Raving Loonies and Elvis from the Church of Militant Elvis Party.

Along with his his fight to defend civil liberties, Mr Davis also used the by-election to draw attention to the proliferation of CCTV cameras, plans for a national identity card scheme and a DNA database.

Mr Davis was welcomed back to the House of Commons personally by Conservative leader David Cameron and Tory MPs cheered loudly as he returned this week. Mr Davis has stated that he neither expects nor wants an early return to the front bench.

He said: "I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to vote in the by-election last Thursday. The turnout was much higher than expected which shows just how strongly people feel about the growing power of the Government over individual citizens.

"It is a privilege to be able to continue to represent the people of Howden and Haltemprice and I am deeply honoured that so many of them gave me their backing last Thursday. To be elected with over 70 per cent of the vote will enable me to return to Westminster with a message from the people to Gordon Brown that we have had enough of his Government's constant meddling in the minute details of daily life.

"It is time for the Government to give ordinary, law-abiding citizens a break and for them instead to start focussing on tackling rising crime and disorder in Britain."