Philip Davies - Parliamentary Career

Parliamentary Career

He unsuccessfully contested the parliamentary seat of Colne Valley at the 2001 general election and was defeated by the sitting Labour MP Kali Mountford by 4,639 votes.

In May 2005, he was elected as an MP at the 2005 general election for the seat of Shipley with a majority of 422 votes, removing the sitting Labour MP and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Constitutional Affairs Chris Leslie. He received donations toward his successful campaign from Bearwood Corporate Services, a front company set up by non-domicile Lord Ashcroft to give out donations to marginal seats such as Davies'. Bearwood has given a total of £5.1 million to the Conservative Party since 2003.

He made his maiden speech on 7 June 2005, where he remembered Titus Salt and the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Saltaire. He also announced that he wanted to remain a backbencher and not to be a shadow spokesman or a minister, and that he wanted to feel able to speak for his constituents.

Davies held his seat with an increased majority of just under 10,000 votes in the 2010 general election.

He was re-elected onto the Executive Committee of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs in 2010 and is a member of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. He has also become a member of the newly established backbench business committee and a member of the Speaker's Panel, chairing Westminster Hall debates.

Davies is rated as one of the Conservatives' most rebellious MPs.

On 2 November 2012, Davies wrote to the Metropolitan Police Service requesting it to re-open a second investigation into ex-Labour MP Denis MacShane's expenses claims.