Who dares wins?

SEFTON’S town halls and Westminster are still reeling from the aftershocks of extraordinary moves by Tory big hitters last week.

Who would have predicted seven days ago that Cllr Les Byrom would have defected to a party that still professes itself “democratic socialist�, while David Davis would have quit the Conservative front bench to force a by-election?

Cllr Les Byrom - the Red Flag now flies in Southport

'Basher' Davis - ex-SAS, ex-Amnesty International

Both had flexed their muscles in military settings as younger men (Cllr Byrom, a former HM Royal Marine Volunteer Reserve; Mr Davis, ex-TA SAS). Both tied their announcements to Wednesday’s knife-edge Commons vote over pre-charge detention up to 42 days. And each evoked high principle over the vote when explaining their extraordinary decisions to cut loose – albeit from different sides of the argument.

Yet speculation now centres on what else may have been at play. In his exclusive interview with the Visiter’s John Siddle, Cllr Byrom states that Cllr Paula Parry’s move to oust him from his Fire Authority positions was the “straw that broke the camel’s back�. He speaks passionately about his CBE-winning work with the fire service as a commitment that transcends party labels. Meanwhile, critics have homed in on the sizeable allowances Cllr Byrom’s fire positions commanded. This was a particular line of attack for top Tory blogger Iain Dale, and a line of inquiry pursued by Rob Merrick, Westminster correspondent of the Liverpool Daily Post.

Political hacks have also been digging around the Davis resignation. Convincing accounts have emerged over shadow cabinet disagreements over how far to take opposition to upping the pre-charge detention limit, although these have been vigorously denied by those concerned. Then there is the relationship between Mr Davis and the man who beat him to the Tory leadership in 2005, David Cameron. Some say Davis hopes to emerge in the future at the helm of a more right-wing-oriented Conservative Party. If that is the case, the former shadow home secretary must have had his fingers crossed when he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he would not contest the leadership in the (unlikely) event of Cameron stepping down if the Conservatives botch the next general election.

So, what next for Cllr Byrom? Sources close to him have mooted the possibility of a position ‘in government’, perhaps including a peerage - and a remit to continue his work with the fire service. Yet as Cllr Byrom himself makes clear, ‘promising’ seats in the Lords is [officially, at least] not the done thing. Locally, the position is equally unclear. For Cllr Byrom to regain his lost fire authority positions would require the blessing of local Labour chiefs - who have already made their own nominations to the Merseyside-wide body. I am unaware even of Sefton Labour group publicly pronouncing on the arrival of their latest member.

The Dukes ward Conservative team (Cllrs Pearson, Byrom and Watson) as of before last Tuesday. Cllr Byrom says that the party's Sefton group leadership had been 'gunning' for them.

Cllr Byrom has three years remaining of his electoral mandate (which former colleagues such as Southport Conservative Association chairman Phil King say is now null and void). After that, the chances of him being returned as a Labour councillor in true-blue Dukes ward (containing the most affluent areas of West Birkdale) are slim to the point of morbid anorexia, regardless of a personal vote he no doubt wields. As for adoption for a safe Labour council seat in Bootle constituency, that would be at the whim of ward members there, and a former Tory of 35 years‘ standing is unlikely to top their wish-list.

If the events of last midweek prove anything, it’s that political risk-taking remains alive and well.
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