The Tory booted out of his Brecon & Radnorshire seat by the recall petition plans to stand again for his party in the by-election



Brecon & Radnorshire 1979-2017 from David Cowling

Chris Davies also tells me he didn’t think about not standing in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election and that he sees it as opportunity to regain constituents’ trust. — Adrian Masters (@adrianmasters84) June 21, 2019

Chris Davies confirms to me that he has the support of his party for standing again in Brecon and Radnorshire. He says he’s had calls today from both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt who’ve backed him. — Adrian Masters (@adrianmasters84) June 21, 2019

Leadership finalists BoJo and Hunt said to back the plan

The Tweets above from the of Political Editor, ITV Cymru Wales, are really quite remarkable and suggest the the Tory hierarchy is taking a huge gamble in their defence of the seat where today the incumbent has been recalled.

The recall petition happened because Davies was found guilty of fraud in relation to MP expenses at Southwark Crown Court in April. He was fined £1,500 and ordered to carry out 50 hours of community service.

If indeed both final contenders are backing him in his desire to stand again that, surely, will open the the party to many hostages to fortune. How can they talk about being tough on crime when they give their blessing to someone who has been convicted being the Conservative candidate. It is as though they are saying the courts were wrong.

Hunt is reported to have said “Whatever the rights and wrongs of his expenses claim, I have only ever known Chris Davies as a decent and honest man and a very diligent local MP.”

Corals, Ladbrokes and William Hill have all opened by-election market this afternoon and all make the LDs the 1/5 odds-on favourite.

Mike Smithson

Follow @MSmithsonPB



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