Skipper

Following the events of last evening, Gordon Brown must be delighted a new rift in Conservative ranks has come to his rescue. He won his division on the 42 days detention issue by 9 votes but, to quote, I think it was a rebel MP on a news bulletin lest night, this was a 'humiliating victory', won only through the votes of the 9 DUP members. Without their help, allegedly 'bought' with 1 billion pouns worth of sweeteners, Brown would have lost, as so many of us think he richly deserved. Steve Richards today, in The Independent, notes the huge waste of political energy on the issue when he could have been working on things which might have helped him recover some respect and authority. Even with the DUP he cut a sorry figure lest night.

But then along comes this political giftto divert some attention from Gordon's awful situation. What's Davis up to? I'm still baffled I have to say. It's claimed his resignation as an MP is on the 42 day issue- fair enough, so he feels strongly about it. But why get re-elected-it seems with no Lib Dem opposition said they won't contest and labour seems likely to follow suit- this will happen easily. All that will happen, in the end is that he's back in the House, to do what? Details are too sketchy right now but I suspect it's connected with some kind of a power bid by the ambitious Davis. If this is not some kind of subtle ploy to advance his own unsatisfied ambition then I'd not be a bit surprised. But it all seems an over-reaction; what if all MPs decided to fight byelections when votes went through with whcih they disagreed? It's a silly indulgence and if Davis's constituents decide to kick his arse it will serve him right.