Albion 69
15-06-2008, 01:26 PM
Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg says the Tories should stop "hammering" David Davis over his surprise resignation.
Several Tory MPs have criticised his resignation as an MP and shadow home secretary in protest at the extension of pre-charge terror detention limits.
But Mr Clegg said it was "pretty rich" to brief against the architect of Tory policy on civil liberties issues.
Mr Davis told the BBC it was not about "me and the Conservative Party, it's an issue between me and the government".
He stepped down on Thursday - the day after the House of Commons voted by a narrow margin to extend the maximum time terrorism suspects can be held, before they are charged, from four to six weeks.
'Foolish' decision
His resignation forces a by-election in which he will try to regain his seat, campaigning on civil liberties issues.
But the announcement, apparently against the wishes of party leader David Cameron, took politicians by surprise.
Among critics is the Conservative former defence minister Nicholas Soames who told the Sunday Times: "It is a disaster for David personally. Words cannot express how foolish he has been."
Defending his decision not to stand a Lib Dem candidate against Mr Davis - whose Haltemprice and Howden constituency was 7th on the list of target seats for Lib Dems - Mr Clegg said it was "a one-off" in exceptional circumstances.
Mr Clegg said Mr Davis had told him the night before he announced his resignation about his intentions.
"I thought about it overnight, spoke to some people in the party, and we decided that from time to time it's not a bad thing to say look, there are certain issues which go beyond party politics."
BBC NEWS | Politics | Stop hammering Davis, says Clegg (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7455298.stm)
Several Tory MPs have criticised his resignation as an MP and shadow home secretary in protest at the extension of pre-charge terror detention limits.
But Mr Clegg said it was "pretty rich" to brief against the architect of Tory policy on civil liberties issues.
Mr Davis told the BBC it was not about "me and the Conservative Party, it's an issue between me and the government".
He stepped down on Thursday - the day after the House of Commons voted by a narrow margin to extend the maximum time terrorism suspects can be held, before they are charged, from four to six weeks.
'Foolish' decision
His resignation forces a by-election in which he will try to regain his seat, campaigning on civil liberties issues.
But the announcement, apparently against the wishes of party leader David Cameron, took politicians by surprise.
Among critics is the Conservative former defence minister Nicholas Soames who told the Sunday Times: "It is a disaster for David personally. Words cannot express how foolish he has been."
Defending his decision not to stand a Lib Dem candidate against Mr Davis - whose Haltemprice and Howden constituency was 7th on the list of target seats for Lib Dems - Mr Clegg said it was "a one-off" in exceptional circumstances.
Mr Clegg said Mr Davis had told him the night before he announced his resignation about his intentions.
"I thought about it overnight, spoke to some people in the party, and we decided that from time to time it's not a bad thing to say look, there are certain issues which go beyond party politics."
BBC NEWS | Politics | Stop hammering Davis, says Clegg (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7455298.stm)