The legacy of most MPs outside their constituency, unless they make it into Government is relatively modest. However the man pictured here is a depressing exception. His opposition to those seeking equality for society is well documented as is his consistent line on opposing private members bills over many years using the anti-democratic technique know as filibuster. As techniques go it is entirely legal but entirely anti-democratic as it denies Parliament votes on matters that Davies may oppose, but which other MPs may wish to support. Opposing proposals in Parliament by voting against them provides total accountability, opposing them by talking until it is too late for a vote is as close as Parliament can get to being bullied by one or two of its members. On Wednesday when Parliament was debating amendment 7 Mr Davies decided to speak up about a subject that he should understand very well. He chose to accuse Dominic Grieve of trying to ‘overturn and frustrate that meaningful vote’ It is perhaps not surprising that Dominic Grieve laughed, although in one sense this is too serious to laugh at:
Does the hon. Gentleman not concede that there was a meaningful vote on 23 June 2016, when people voted to leave the European Union? The problem with the amendment tabled by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) is that it could be, and no doubt is designed to be, used to try to overturn and frustrate that meaningful vote? [Interruption.] My right hon. and learned Friend laughs, but it is a shame he does not have the courage of his convictions to admit that that is what his game is. If people in this House use that amendment for those purposes, the backlash from the British public will be like none seen before, and he should beware of that consequence.
ianchisnall 