Interesting debate over at Dave Osler's blog as to whether Tony Benn should have announced his support for David Davis. In truth, I am a bit ambivalent about this one as those of us in our middle years go back an awfully long way politically with TB and it's weird and miore than a little unsettling I agree to see him advocating a Tory. But let's ask ourselves why.
Firstly, a craven PLP caved in utterly and allowed Brown to get away with the 42 days legislation. The Cabinet is similarly supine and unprincipled.
Brown manipulated the vote as one of "no confidence" and thereby thought the issue woul,d be dead in the water once he had got it through Parliament not by winning the argument but by bullying and deals.
Once Davis had announced he was resigning Labour almost immediately said it would not stand a candidate. Sorry - but if you think you have the public with you ( and that was the New labour line) and the moral high ground then you shoukd be prepared to put it to the test. By NOT standing a candidate, Labour has allowed its standing to sink even further in the public's estimation . Big tactical mistake.
Of course if Labour had stood a candidate neither TB nor Marshall-Andrews ( or anyone else on the Labour Left) could have spoken up for Davis. They would be expelled from the Party.
So, in the context of the situation as it stands, and the fact that 42 days has been another tipping-point for many Party members, Benn is right to carry on campaigning. But I do understand why some will disagree....
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