The Tories’ 2019 poster girl, Dehenna Davison, has announced she’s to stand down as an MP after just one term. Dehenna won her seat of Bishop Aukland in 2019, with a swing of 9.5%. However after a meagre five years in the Commons, Davison is to depart at the next election. The third Tory MP to announce they’re doing so…
Davison explains the reason she’s departing:
“For my whole adult life, I’ve dedicated the vast majority of my time to politics, and to help make people’s lives better. But, to be frank, it has meant I haven’t had anything like a normal life for a twenty-something.”
Dehenna is the third Tory MP to make such an announcement, after Chloe Smith and Will Wragg. It’s not like they’re leaving a sinking ship. At 25 points behind Labour, they’re on the ocean floor
UPDATE: Dehenna isn’t the third Tory MP to have announced they’re standing down at all. List courtesy of Alex Wickham:
UPDATE II: Mike Penning announced he was retiring six months ago and Douglas Ross wants to focus on Holyrood apparently.
Illicit Encounters is back to once again (it’s becoming an annual tradition) answer the country’s most enduring question: who is the UK’s hottest MP? A survey of 2,000 Illicit Encounter users has concluded that Conservative MP Dehenna Davison – who won 29% of the vote – is the UK’s fittest female politician. Guido’s certain that this isn’t the only badge that Dehenna will wear with pride…
In second place was Labour’s Dr. Rosena Allin Khan, who scored 21% of the vote. Shadow Foreign Secretary Randy Nandy came in third place. Congratulations to all.
Co-conspirators will also be keen to learn that Johnny Mercer – who won 22% of the vote – was ranked the UK’s sexiest male politician. He tops Chancellor Dishy Rishi, who drops to second place with 20% of the vote. Boris Johnson comes in third place with a respectable 17%. All part of Building Back Bedder...
Angela Rayner’s Tory Scum rant during Labour conference has arguably cast a longer shadow over this year’s Tory conference than the fuel crisis. Guido’s already seen plenty of social media posts by attendees referencing the now-eight days old joke, and a Scottish MSP referenced it during a fringe event. Red wall MP Dehenna Davison has taken the meme even further, having a bag of badges made up proudly reading “Tory Scum”. Anyone hoping to bagsy one better get to her soon as they’re going fast…
40 Conservative MPs have joined forces with the IEA to form a new Parliamentary branch of their Free Market Forum (FMF). The group, co-chaired by Dehenna Davison and Greg Smith, plan on using research, events and campaigns to “encourage free market thinking, winning over the unpersuaded and providing intellectual firepower and a public platform to proponents of classical liberalism.” It says something that this cabal is needed in the modern-day Tory party…
“The Free Market Forum (FMF) aims to refocus the political debate, shifting attention towards free enterprise and social freedom after a year of unavoidable yet time-limited state intervention in the economy and our everyday lives.”
Of the 40 parliamentary supporters, 19 are from the 2019 intake and five are cabinet ministers. Guido thought the group’s views on the ongoing European Superleague Debate could be a good barometer of how truly free market the group are, or whether they’re just virtue signalling. 12 out of the 40 have condemned the plans, with all 5 of the Cabinet Members keeping schtum…
Other well-known figures from the wonk world are also involved in the group’s new advisory board, including Matthew Elliot, Jon Moynihan and Lord Kamall. FMF follows in the wake of the Free Enterprise Group and FREER, taking on Ruth Porter, Lee Rowley and former Downing Street union SpAd Luke Graham as advisors. Guido wonders how many of these MPs will fight for free markets in a basically social democratic government…
Read the list of free market-loving MPs in full.
In tonight’s LIVE with LITTLEWOOD:
Join host MARK LITTLEWOOD for 60 minutes of scintillating discussion with talkRadio’s MIKE GRAHAM; The Independent’s Chief Political Commentator JOHN RENTOUL; DEHENNA DAVISON MP, the Conservative member for Bishop Auckland, and KRISTIAN NIEMIETZ, Head of Political Economy at the Institute of Economic Affairs, and author of the IEA report Viral Myths: Why we risk learning the wrong lessons from the pandemic.
Be sure to join in the debate, LIVE – TONIGHT at 6PM – here or on YouTube.
