Grace Christine Astley – Independent
David Laurence Bishop – Church of the Militant Elvis Party
Ronnie Carroll – Make Politicians History
Mad Cow-Girl – The Official Monster Raving Loony Party
David Craig – Independent
Herbert Winford Crossman – Independent
Tess Culnane – National Front Britain for the British
Thomas Faithful Darwood – Independent
David Michael Davis – Conservative
Tony Farnon – Independent
Eamonn “Fitzy” Fitzpatrick – Independent
Christopher Mark Foren – Independent
Gemma Dawn Garrett – Miss Great Britain Party
George Hargreaves – Christian Party
Hamish Howitt – Freedom 4 Choice
David Icke – No party listed
John Nicholson – Independent
Shan Oakes – Green Party
David Pinder – The New Party
Joanne Robinson – English Democrats: Putting England First
Jill Saward – Independent
Norman Scarth – Independent
Walter Edward Sweeney – Independent
Christopher John Talbot – Socialist Equality Party
John Randle Upex – Independent
Greg Wood – Independent

I think it would be Militant Elvis for me.

Peter.

It cuts both ways the travails of DD are just footnotes up here and to be honest that suits us just fine.

John B,

It might bring publicity but not respect and in the long term I know which matters, and we’re good at playing the long game.

Peter.

Angus MacNeill’s support for David Davis

Angus MacNeil — the Scottish Nationalist MP whose complaint prompted the cash-for-honours enquiry — tells me that he would be delighted to offer Davis a helping hand in the contest, which is expected to take place on July 10.

“As a Scottish Nationalist I try to avoid English politics, but I’d go and campaign for David Davis if he wanted me to,” says MacNeil. “I admire his principles and from what I know of him, he is a straightforward and honest man. Gordon Brown’s argument for 42-day detention is all about keeping him in Downing Street for another two years: no wonder he’s bottling the fight with David Davis.”

I can only guess that some of the hubris from members of Mr MacNeil’s party on this blog is only understandable. After months of Boris, ‘Tory Toffs’, and now David Davis the going-ons in Scotland are treated as mere footnotes. In a strange way, I sympathise…!

No, it can’t be,

“because it’s not in Scotland.”

“After all a summer by election with none of the main parties is the kind of publicity that money can’t buy.”

It must be because that would be creating mischief with Westminster and you don’t do that, do you?

If he stands, it would be a pity to miss an opportunity to bring to the attention of Scottish voters what Mackenzie says in the English press.

Eh, because it’s not in Scotland.

Peter.

I’d guess John Smeaton is one of yours, though his father was a colleague whom I suspected of being a pre-Thatcher Tory.

Why isn’t the SNP standing?

In relation to multiple resignations from Parliament, I recollect that all the Ulster Unionists resigned and fought bye-elections some years ago (all bar one being re-elected). So perhaps David Davis is not so unique. Perhaps somebody with a better memory than me can remind us of this history. It would be interesting to know by what means the Ulster MPs resigned, given that there are only two offices – the Chiltern Hundreds and the Manor of Northstead – provided for MPs to do so.

There ought to be a modern procedure for MPs to resign by giving written notice to the Speaker, with a short (e.g. seven day) cooling off period to cater for cases of impetuosity. After all, local councils can manage this.

You wouldn’t believe the excuses Brighton Labour Party conjurs up to explain this.