This is the front page of the BBC News at 21:40 Davis issues challenge to Labour Shadow home secretary David Davis quits as an MP over the erosion of "British liberties" and urges Labour to fight him My emphasis in bold - note plural. Doesn't quite jive with your complaints.

I can't get my head around this. What is he trying to achieve? What can he achieve? It can only be either; A. That he feels so strongly personally about the issue that he's prepared to give up the almost certain prospect of one of the great offices of state within two years, in order to draw public attention to it and force a public debate (I doubt if the public at large give a monkeys about detention without charge for terrorists and won't until it's extended to every offence, which it surely will be eventually) or B. That he's fallen out with Cameron, expects to be sidelined, and is using this as an excuse to preempt that, increase his own public profile with a view to challenging for the leadership or pitching for some other top job at some time in the future. I hope it's the former, but I think it's a big mistake for him personally, either way. Shame because he's a huge talent.

Iain Dale, who knows Davis very well, has written a lengthy piece on this. http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2008/06/david-daviss-walk-into-unknown.html He seems to think it's a principled stand. Can't see it meself.

I think its a principled stand, too. Davis wants to be returned with a huge mandate from his constituents, and thus show that cour freedoms need defending, not eroding in the interest of this false "security" argument, but - in reality - because the insstincts of socialism are against freedom. (unless you are Party member, of course.)

According to The Torygraph, Cameron is not happy. After enjoying eight months of positive publicity and a series of recent electoral successes, Mr Davis’s move marks a significant setback for Mr Cameron. The Tory leader will now have to deal with the biggest upheaval and uncertainty of his leadership since fighting off a possible early election last autumn. Publicly, Mr Cameron said the move was “brave and courageous”. But Conservative insiders now believe Mr Davis has “lost the plot snip Tory insiders also believe Mr Davis has now cast himself in to the political wilderness. Mr Cameron immediately replaced him, appointing Dominic Grieve on a permanent basis, and there was no guarantee Mr Davis would return to the shadow cabinet. A source close to Mr Cameron claimed Mr Davis is “finished”. Mr Davis told Mr Cameron of his decision - first hinted at in Thursday's Telegraph - in the leader’s office after the controversial vote 42-day detention on Wednesday night. Mr Cameron - furious at Mr Davis for diverting attention from the Conservatives’ recent successes - told him the move was “very, very risky” but the Tory leader’s attempts to change his mind failed. snip In a further sign that he has been cut adrift by the Tory leadership, no funding from the party HQ will go to his by-election campaign, where he will defend a majority of 5,116. snip One ally of Mr Cameron said: “It is a very odd thing to do. He looks like a slightly tired old man now who has missed his chance as leader. He has acted in haste and will probably regret it when he’s simply another backbencher.” A senior Conservative MP close to David Davis attacked his decision. “It’s an odd decision by David, but he is quite headstrong. We are over 20 points ahead in the polls, heading for victory and he does this. There is a touch of self indulgence about it. I feel a bit uneasy about it. "He will look very, very silly if there is any kind of terrorist incident in the next six weeks.” snip http://tinyurl.com/52zuhc

Bestbear wrote: The BBC - and the sub editor of the Telegraph who wrote their headline - were wrong to say Davis resigned "over 42 terror plan". Rana wrote: Doesn't quite jive with your complaints. Its not just the BBC that have been peddling the propaganda. I was watching the ITV news, and they said much the same, as did GMTV this morning. Theyre trying to paint him as a loon, but then, thats what they want. They don't want people questioning the erosion of our rights. They don't teach people about the Magna Carter or the Bill of Rights for the same reason. I noticed that the MSM is more interested in telling people about the Rooney wedding, than the EU poll in Ireland, or the destruction of our freedoms. An ignorant populations is easier to control. Good on Davis I say. I won't forget his actions, and I'd vote for him in a heartbeat.

I'm sure that David Davis has at his core a deep concern about civil liberties and freedoms in this country. His record proves that beyond doubt. But what I can't understand is this; Within 2 years, as home secretary he would have been in the very highest position to repeal a lot of Labours draconian anti-freedom legistation, bring the police to heel, perhaps establish some basic immutable freedoms in British law, and so on and so forth. But he's chosen to sacrifice that for what is likely to be a short lived stunt which will likely focus on one particular issue.

Yes, Dog ... your view is widely shared. But he will be back in the commons in a few weeks, and will not be out of the shadow cabinet for long, I fancy.

David Davis resigned over the erosion of Civil Liberties, and over his belief that the House Of Commons no longer works for the interests of the British people. That's my understanding. It is a very important issue, and for him to wait for a couple of years on the chance that he might be put in a position to change things would be casual and foolish. This government could even suspend elections in the interests of national security; such is the way things are going. The time to act is now. What will he achieve? Possibly nothing more than unemployment. But I believe that it is important that people see politicians standing on principle, showing that they do care and refusing to be party to an immoral process. He is putting the power into the hands of his constituents. If they return him to Parliament, he will have a strong mandate to stand against the oppressive measures being introduced by the government. It will no longer be just his principle, but the principle of the people he represents. This cannot damage the Tory party. If they had voted in favour of 42 days, ID cards, etc. then it could be seen as damaging. They did not, so he is still at one with Tory policy. Most people can see that, and I'm sure most people can understand the reasons for his actions. I would like to see the 36 Labour rebels do the same. They have a greater reason for resigning their seat. They are part of a government which they believe are acting against the interests of the nation, yet they remain a part of it. Okay, they might be seen to be just copying Davis, but it would still be an honourable move. I salute David Davis for taking this stand. He has put his entire career on the line for a principle. This is no publicity stunt. This is one man drawing his line in the stand.