Quentin Davies Speaks Out Against Cameron On Iraq

It doesn't take a genius to work out the David Cameron is a bit of a hypocrite over Iraq.

Dave' buddies on the Tory benches were the ones lampooning Charles Kennedy when he opposed going to war in Iraq. They were the ones who were calling for immediate action against Iraq even when senior Labour ministers still had reservations, they were, in short, the biggest supporters of the war in Iraq.

There were some notable exceptions with a handful of Tories resisting pressure from their party bosses to support the war, but a higher percentage of Tories supported the war than Labour MP's !

So earlier in the week, many saw the Tories support for an SNP/Plaid Cymru motion to open an enquiry in to the war in Iraq as a cynical stunt. Although I personally wanted to see an enquiry, and I knew this would require Tory votes, it was all rather distasteful to see Tories who were SO keen on the war now trying to make political capital out of it in order to score points of Tony Blair.

So it is good to see that Quentin Davies, a Tory MP who supported the war, saying that Cameron was wrong on this issue.

He told BBC Radio 4's Week in Westminster: "I was quite incredulous when I heard we were going to vote for that [SNP/Plaid] resolution."

The Commons motion called for an immediate inquiry
He said he could not understand why anyone, especially his party, would vote for it.
"I didn't vote for it but most of the party did. [That] left me really quite amazed and I'm very sorry about that as a matter of fact."

He added to the BBC that the credibility of the party as an alternative government would be seriously damaged if it gave the impression of "cynically" shifting with the prevailing party political wind.

Another senior Conservative who was absent from the crucial vote - but who declined to be named - described Mr Cameron's decision as "intellectually and morally indefensible".
The MP suggested a number of Tory MPs were deliberately absent.

I don't agree with Mr Davies on the issue of whether there should be an enquiry. I think we need one. But, I have always had respect for people who have principles, especailly when they are not prepared to compromise them for cynical reasons. Mr Davies has made a principled stand, he is wrong, I believe, on the issue, but having principled reasons for opposing people is what makes a good government and a good opposition.

Cynical and unprincipled parliamentarians are hardly likely to inspire voters or raise trust in politicians.