Dai Davies (politician)
Encyclopedia
David Clifford Davies, commonly known as Dai Davies, (born 26 November 1959) was the Blaenau Gwent People's Voice Member of Parliament (MP) for the Blaenau Gwent
constituency in South Wales
from 2006 to 2010. He was elected at a by-election in June 2006
following the death of independent MP Peter Law
, but lost his seat the at the 2010 general election to Labour's Nick Smith
by 10,516 votes.
for 26 years, was a Senior Trade Union Shop Steward for over 15 years and a member of the Nation Industrial Committee for Steel. After losing his job at the Steel Works that was shortly to close, he took a job with the Union and he oversaw the loss of thousands of jobs. He was a trustee of the British Steel Pension Scheme.
Davies was a voluntary school Governor at both Primary and Secondary level, a Former Chair of a Community Health Council and a Community First Partnership Board. He has been a Director of Development Trust.
and Peter Law
, and a Political Research Officer and Campaign Manager for Peter Law
.
He is also the leader of Blaenau Gwent People's Voice Group
, a political party that had announced intentions to expand outside his own constituency in the 2007 Assembly elections. In early 2007, BGPV had been in negotiations with John Marek and Ron Davies of Forward Wales to form an electoral alliance, that critics said would undermine their 'independent' status. However nothing came of the talks. After Davies lost his seat it is unsure of the future of the People's Voice.
The election result was the first occasion an independent had held a seat occupied by a previous independent in a by-election since Sir C. V. F. Townshend
held The Wrekin in 1920. This traditionally Labour seat has 'returned to the fold' in electing Nick Smith on 6 May 2010 on a 29% swing to Labour and with a 10,000+ vote majority.
While in the House of Commons, two other MPs have had the same phonetic name as him, David Davies
is a Welsh Conservative
MP elected in 2005, and David Davis
is an English Conservative MP, and runner-up in their last leadership election. The resignation of Davis from the House of Commons in June 2008 allegedly proved problematic for the Monmouthshire MP, and one could assume that Dai Davies was also included in this confusion.
On 23 June 2010 Davies gave his first interview since being defeated by his former party. In this interview he stated that he would be leaving frontline politics and standing down as Leader of The People's Voice, after these comments the future of the party he led from 2006 is unclear. Davies said he would still try and work for the people of Blaenau Gwent. Davies has refused to comment on recent rumours that he wants his former running mates, Trish Law, to stand aside and give him a chance of trying to win a seat in the National Assembly of Wales.
Blaenau Gwent (UK Parliament constituency)
Blaenau Gwent is a county constituency in South Wales, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :...
constituency in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
from 2006 to 2010. He was elected at a by-election in June 2006
Blaenau Gwent by-elections, 2006
Two by-elections were held for the constituency of Blaenau Gwent in Wales following the death of Member of Parliament and Assembly Member Peter Law on 25 April 2006. As Law was the MP and Assembly Member , his death required by-elections in both the parliamentary seat and the equivalent Welsh...
following the death of independent MP Peter Law
Peter Law
Peter John Law was a Welsh politician.- Labour Co-operative AM and Independent MP :For most of his career Law sat as a Labour Councillor and subsequently Labour Co-operative Assembly Member for Blaenau Gwent...
, but lost his seat the at the 2010 general election to Labour's Nick Smith
Nick Smith (British politician)
Nicholas Desmond John Smith , known as Nick Smith, is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Blaenau Gwent since the May 2010 election...
by 10,516 votes.
Background
Davies worked in the Electrical Department at the Steel Works in Ebbw ValeEbbw Vale
Ebbw Vale is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River, south Wales. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent county borough...
for 26 years, was a Senior Trade Union Shop Steward for over 15 years and a member of the Nation Industrial Committee for Steel. After losing his job at the Steel Works that was shortly to close, he took a job with the Union and he oversaw the loss of thousands of jobs. He was a trustee of the British Steel Pension Scheme.
Davies was a voluntary school Governor at both Primary and Secondary level, a Former Chair of a Community Health Council and a Community First Partnership Board. He has been a Director of Development Trust.
Political career
Davies was Agent for both Llew SmithLlew Smith
Llewellyn Thomas Smith is a former Welsh Labour Party politician.Smith was Member of the European Parliament for South Wales East from 1984 to 1994, and at the 1992 general election he was elected as Member of Parliament for Blaenau Gwent. A member of the Socialist Campaign Group, he stood down...
and Peter Law
Peter Law
Peter John Law was a Welsh politician.- Labour Co-operative AM and Independent MP :For most of his career Law sat as a Labour Councillor and subsequently Labour Co-operative Assembly Member for Blaenau Gwent...
, and a Political Research Officer and Campaign Manager for Peter Law
Peter Law
Peter John Law was a Welsh politician.- Labour Co-operative AM and Independent MP :For most of his career Law sat as a Labour Councillor and subsequently Labour Co-operative Assembly Member for Blaenau Gwent...
.
He is also the leader of Blaenau Gwent People's Voice Group
Blaenau Gwent People's Voice Group
The Blaenau Gwent People's Voice Group was a political party based in the Blaenau Gwent area of Wales.The group was formed in the aftermath of the election to the House of Commons of Peter Law as an independent Member of Parliament, beating the official Labour candidate. Peter Law stood against the...
, a political party that had announced intentions to expand outside his own constituency in the 2007 Assembly elections. In early 2007, BGPV had been in negotiations with John Marek and Ron Davies of Forward Wales to form an electoral alliance, that critics said would undermine their 'independent' status. However nothing came of the talks. After Davies lost his seat it is unsure of the future of the People's Voice.
The election result was the first occasion an independent had held a seat occupied by a previous independent in a by-election since Sir C. V. F. Townshend
Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend
Major General Sir Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend KCB, DSO was a British Indian Army officer who led the ultimately disastrous first British Expedition against Baghdad during World War I, and was later elected to Parliament....
held The Wrekin in 1920. This traditionally Labour seat has 'returned to the fold' in electing Nick Smith on 6 May 2010 on a 29% swing to Labour and with a 10,000+ vote majority.
While in the House of Commons, two other MPs have had the same phonetic name as him, David Davies
David Davies (politician)
David Thomas Charles Davies, MP is a British Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Monmouth in South Wales. Davies is also a special police constable, and volunteers with his local police force....
is a Welsh Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP elected in 2005, and David Davis
David Davis (British politician)
David Michael Davis is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Haltemprice and Howden...
is an English Conservative MP, and runner-up in their last leadership election. The resignation of Davis from the House of Commons in June 2008 allegedly proved problematic for the Monmouthshire MP, and one could assume that Dai Davies was also included in this confusion.
On 23 June 2010 Davies gave his first interview since being defeated by his former party. In this interview he stated that he would be leaving frontline politics and standing down as Leader of The People's Voice, after these comments the future of the party he led from 2006 is unclear. Davies said he would still try and work for the people of Blaenau Gwent. Davies has refused to comment on recent rumours that he wants his former running mates, Trish Law, to stand aside and give him a chance of trying to win a seat in the National Assembly of Wales.
External links
- Barrie Clement "Bevan's home town keeps old Labour's flag flying", The Independent, 29 June 2006