Philip Davies spoke for 77 minutes during the Istanbul Convention debate (Picture: Getty/parliamentlive.tv)

This is Philip Davies, he’s the Conservative MP for Shipley in West Yorkshire.

Today Davies was accused of trying to derail a law that would protect women from domestic violence.

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The anti-feminist Tory MP talked for more than an hour in an apparent attempt to filibuster the Istanbul Convention, a bill which aims to prevent and tackle violence against women.

He said it is ‘sexist’ to say the focus should only be on violence against women, adding that he stands for ‘true equality’ where all people are treated equally.


Davies said the bill ‘comes with a worthy sentiment’, and adds that he is not ‘aware of anybody who wants to argue that people should be violent towards women and girls’, – while talking for 77 minutes in an apparent attempt to prevent the bill passing.



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Davies added that he has a ‘fundamental objection’ to the premise that MPs only need to deal with violence against women, that it was ‘political correctness’ and ‘sexist’.

It’s probably worth mentioning, nobody is denying that men can and do suffer from traumatic domestic violence or some form of abuse at the hands of their partners. One in five victims of domestic abuse is male according to ManKind, which is something that should, obviously, also be addressed.

However, statistics show that two women are killed by current or ex-partners every week in the UK.

One woman dies as a result of domestic violence every three days in the UK, according to Refuge.

And one in four British women will suffer domestic violence at some point in their life.

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Davies faced pressure from some of his Conservative colleagues over his stance. Helen Whately, the Tory MP for Faversham and Mid Kent, also intervened and said: ‘Could you clarify: Are you arguing that there is no point in doing something which is a good thing unless it solves all the problems of the world?’

While Labour MP Thangam Debbonnaire said his efforts were ’78 minutes of my life I’ll not get back’, before cutting her own speech short to counteract Davies, determined not to let him filibuster the bill.

Many were shocked by the MP’s actions in Parliament:

Imagine going into a debate as an MP with the sole purpose of hijacking legislation that will make women and girls safer. Imagine. #ICBill — megan corton scott (@mcortonscott) December 16, 2016

Philip Davies thinks beating up your wife is somehow striking a blow against "political correctness". Weird chap. Hope his wife is listening — The Prodigal Bum (@prodigalbum) December 16, 2016

If anyone was in any doubt of need for #ICBill to counter sexism & misogyny in UK then Philip Davies' speech is all proof needed. Thanks PD! — SophieWalker (@SophieRunning) December 16, 2016

As the son of a proud Yorkshireman I'd offer myself up to good people of Shipley to replace the odious Philip Davies but I wouldn't be alone — Cllr Math Campbell (@mathcampbell) December 16, 2016

Philip Davies is just a nasty piece of work, I cannot understand why anyone would filibuster on such a debate #IstanbulConvention — Abdiwali Duale (@AbdiwaliUK) December 16, 2016

All violence is wrong, but domestic violence is not gender-neutral. The victims are massively, disproportionately women. Back the #ICBill https://t.co/yicHUZGjnk — Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 16, 2016

Feel free to email scum mp #philipdavies who is trying to block a bill on domestic violence philip.davies.mp@parliament.uk https://t.co/i5hBrZgbaM — Blightygamer (@blightygamer) December 16, 2016

Philip Davies MP has now sat down, after over an hour of trying to block a domestic violence bill in parliament — Siobhan Fenton (@SiobhanFenton) December 16, 2016

And one person felt compelled to start a petition to have Davies removed from The Women and Equalities Committee as a result of his actions.

The legislative push for the Istanbul Convention comes after more than 70 MPs wrote to the Prime Minister Theresa May urging her to immediately ratify the convention.

MPs voted in favour of draft laws requiring the Government to ratify the Istanbul Convention by 135 votes to two, majority 133.

The two MPS that voted against it were, obviously, Philip Davies and fellow Conservative David Nuttall, MP for Bury North.