Caerphilly MP Wayne David has said he has been accused of being a “war monger” and a “murderer”, for his support of military air strikes in Syria.
David, who is a Shadow Justice Minister, voted in favour of the air strikes, stating that he would not “flinch from doing the right thing”.
On Wednesday, MPs voted in favour of bombing IS, also known as ISIS, ISIL or Daesh, by 397 votes to 223 after ten hours of debate in the House of Commons.
Mr David, speaking on BBC Radio Wales, said: “I’ve been accused of being a warmonger, a murderer. It was said that if I voted in favour of military action, I’d have blood on my hands.
“There have been anonymous phone calls to my office and I’ve been threatened with being deselected as a Labour candidate at the next election.
“But as I say, people feel strongly about these issues and I’m not complaining about that, I’m just stating matters of fact. But what I think is unacceptable is that some of the younger members of the parliamentary party, women in particular, are being targeted and have had demonstrators outside their house and abuse screamed at in their face.
“That’s not the kinder, gentler, honest kind of politics that Jeremy Corbyn claims to stand for.”
Caerphilly County Borough’s two other MPs, Islwyn’s Chris Evans and Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney’s Gerald Jones, voted against the UK Government motion.
As one of seemingly many of his constituents who contacted WD asking him to vote against I’m obviously disappointed by the choice he made. That choice however should not lead to abuse, although I would note that some of the ‘abuse’ mentioned both above and in the general media is merely debate. If you vote to go to war, then being accused of being a warmonger pretty much comes with the territory. As for taking pity on the poor female members of his party – isn’t this a bit sexist? Anyone who goes into politics does so fully in the knowledge that they are going to have to deal with people who disagree strongly with them, and may well be abusive, this comes with the territory, male or female.
He, and his colleagues have made decision which a large number of people disagree with, that has consequences, and while those consequences remain legal he has no right to complain. If he doesn’t like the situation he should probably resign as a politician before being deselected.
When it comes to de-selection, if his views no longer match those of his constituency party this would seem a legitimate action, as would be his constituents failing to vote him back in at the next general election, this is called democracy.
An MP is of course entitled to his or her opinion and in a free vote can vote according to their beliefs and conscience. Once that step is taken, in this day and age, one can expect vitriolic abuse from those who cannot respect the opinion of others.
As a member of UKIP I have had a taste of this from Labour Party members and their supporters, being called, amongst other things, ‘racist’ for saying that Britain should be able to control immigration, and so on. Welcome to the club Wayne, I don’t give a monkey’s what people say about me. I suggest you adopt the same phlegmatic approach.
I cry foul. Mr David.
You have attempted to undermine Mr Corbyns leadership from the moment he was elected via your stream of anti-corbyn posts on twitter and negative interviews in the media.
You have neglected to engage with those new members locally who have signed up with the party on the back of Mr Corbyns election as leader of the party.
You have claimed to have listened to constituents and members alike when in fact you have done no such thing.
Your consultation, as far as we know, consisted of ‘a little get together’ (according to your office) for which they could provide no minutes, no record of who attended, nor the topics under discussion.
‘A little get together’, unannounced on a Sunday morning is no way to decide on one of the biggest decisions this country has had put before it in years with so many lives at stake.
It shows serious disrespect for the people who voted for you, when so many of us made desperate calls for at least some sort of public consultation.
You have called for Momentum to be disbanded – an outrageously undemocratic position to take; surely because you dislike having your decisions scrutinised and wish to continue undermining the leadership for as long as possible.
Finally, your fabricated story about female members being shouted at outside their house by demonstrators is disgraceful and unless you can back it up with evidence, should be retracted immediately. If it is in reference to Stella Creasy; she herself has announced that it never happened.
I respect your decision to bomb Syria, as much as I am against it, but I and many many others locally are angry at the way you have handled the entire situation, and feel betrayed by your lack of regard for your constituents, your new members, and the labour party leader. Every slur you make against him, is a slur also against those members who voted for him.
Most of all, we are devastated by your lack of regard for the free people of Syria whom this decision will affect most. This morning we have already learnt that regime change is the true goal of the incursion, and that it will take over 2 years before we see favourable results. In that time our NHS crumbles, our public services are destroyed, and our communities are pushed further into poverty.
MP’s must be held accountable for the actions and decisions they make in our name. They are not all-knowing and infallible and they should have the humility to seek public opinion on such important matters – otherwise we have democracy in name alone.
This is the third catastrophic war that you have voted for against public opinion.
I pray that it will be the last.
Not in my name.
You say “Your consultation, as far as we know, consisted of ‘a little get
together’ (according to your office) for which they could provide no
minutes, no record of who attended, nor the topics under discussion.
‘A
little get together’, unannounced on a Sunday morning is no way to
decide on one of the biggest decisions this country has had put before
it in years”
I have spoken to a large number of Constituency Labour Party members who know absolutely nothing about this `meeting` ` get together`. As it has been claimed consultation played a part in My PM`s consideration and As it appears from what you say this MP consulted `some` members of the party I also would like to know what form the consultation process took, and particularly who was invited, Do you have any further information on what appears to have taken place?
Very little. It was apparently for CLP officers and “wasn’t very important”. For the sake of fairness, this was from phone calls with Mr David’s office and not the man himself. The secretary couldn’t answer my questions as he didn’t attend the meeting, and so hopefully Mr David will be able to explain in more detail at next Friday’s CLP meeting. As you say, public consultation was claimed as being part of the justification in going to war by our MP, and it is only right that this claim is held up to scrutiny.
Excellent post.
May I add that Wayne David has utterly misused the term “bullying” along with others who also cry fowl. This mis appropriation of the word does a massive disservice to those who have really suffered from bullying.
Wayne David voted for Call Me Dave’s vanity war not because he saw it as an effective measure to ensure the security of these British Isles, but because as a Labour Friend of Israel and a Blairite he knew his vote would contribute to destabilising the PLP leadership who he despises.
Another never ending war while our infrastructure crumbles.
Wayne David has listened to the wider public where in recent polls more support the strikes than are against them. In polls from a month ago an absolute majority close to 60% supported strikes.
The MPs had access to information we do not. I trust their decision.
60% in favour a month ago you claim … Are you Wayne David? And where can I claim my prize??
A poll by Opium Research shows 60% of public support air strikes. Over the last months the figures have varied but there have always been more supporting air strikes than not supporting them. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11079549/Poll-Majority-back-military-action-against-Islamic-State.html
A Tory paper … There’s a surprise then finding those stats …
And that poll wasn’t exactly a poll on bombing Syria … It was a poll on military actions n in Iraq for such things as rescuing hostages etc … Just a bit different from dropping bombs on n Syria!!
The poll was conducted by an organisation independent to the paper. The paper was reporting the results. You can click the link to see the methodology.
You didn’t just see the link and assume it was a Telegraph poll, did you?
No I read the article. As written previously – it is not specifically aimed at bombing Syria … emphasis seems more on Iraq. Which we been bombing for quite a while now.
And that poll. I am sure there are other polls showing the opposite. It’s just the Torygraph chose to publish that one.
The Guardian even published a poll showing ‘yes for air strikes’ ahead of ‘no for air strikes.’ I like to keep up with current affairs but I was unaware of the Guardian’s switch to being a Tory newspaper.
You linked the Telegraph for your source – not Guardian
The point is that Wayne David did not consult labour party members in his own constituency … let alone constituents who are ‘members of the public’ before offering his support to the tory government.
He appears to think his position in a safe Labour seat is so secure that he can follow his own personal agendas and career plans without so much as a by- your- leave to the people who voted him into his job.
Mr David’s seat is more secure than a Scotsman’s wallet so why should he care what his constituents think about dropping bombs on ISIS, come next May this will all be a distant memory ( if Labour voters have any memory at all ) and the majority who bother themselves to vote will put their cross firmly beside his name on the ballot paper.
The sad thing is the very people who complain at him for supporting air strikes will not hesitate before put an X” in the box in 2020.
Wayne should be liistening to party members, 75% of which opposed air strikes.
However as usual Wayne votes with the Blairites. Probably happy to sacrifice innocent covilians as long as it was an anti Corbyn vote.
Change is happening though, Wayne might be forced to represent the views of the members, or find that the membership looks for more authentic representation
Oh! I see even from your own figures you admit to 25% supporting air strikes. From the vote, the 66 Labour MPs who voted in favour of air strikes represents 28% of Labour MPs. By my own reasoning that is rather correct. The MPs who voted in favour represent the members in favour.
Surely you are not suggesting 75% being against means all MPs must vote against? If you are, that means you support ignoring the views of the minority. I suppose that is the Labour thing though, suppressing anyone who disagrees with them.
Total nonsence. Do try to keep it relivent, whoever you are?.
Please, explain to me what is nonsense about MPs voting reflecting the party’s views? I suppose you support tyranny of the majority?
The ` nonsence` is the way you asume you can extrapolate from dodgy inaccurate figures, rounded up or down for your purposes, that MP`s either supported the war or not because their constituents supported the war or not. Utter irrelivence in respect to the way ANY MP voted, Unless it can be shown they each held a local referendum on the subject?. Else how would they know how to vote in relation to the figures you quote. I would say that my comments are as much nonsence as yours, before you or someone else says so. I thought I would get that in first.
You have misunderstood my point…again (you’re making a habit of doing that). MPs representing their constituents is largely political nonsense (could not resist) used to keep simpletons happy. Of course, as you have shown to me, it is impossible for MPs to represent their constituents as it is impossible to measure their views.
Therefore, I suggest if it really is 25% of the Labour party supporting air strikes it is perfectly reasonable to have approximately 25% of Labour MPs supporting air strikes. Labour MPs as a whole supporting Labour members as a whole is easier to do than each MP supporting their constituent.
Re your comment- As Wayne supported the war, “to keep simpletons happy”, And you appear to be one of only two constituents on this site who supported and agreed with his stance, ( you actually hoping for a `sucessful war`) are you two of those `simpletons? seems so.
The ` nonsence` is the way you asume you can extrapolate from dodgy inaccurate figures, rounded up or down for your purposes, that MP`s either supported the war or not because their constituents supported the war or not. Utter irrelivence in respect to the way ANY MP voted, Unless it can be shown they each held a local referendum on the subject?. Else how would they know how to vote in relation to the figures you quote. I would say that my comments are as much nonsence as yours, before you or someone else says so. I thought I would get that in first.
Dear Sir
Following Wednesday’s vote on whether the UK should participate in air strikes over Syria, I want to put on record my disappointment with Caerphilly’s local MP Wayne David for supporting military action, a view that‘s shared by many of his constituents.
Whilst Mr David has put on record his reasons for supporting military action, I am disappointed that he decided to pursue the military option has he did with Iraq and Afghanistan. This is of course his own personal choice, but I believe he could have done more to consult with constituents and inform us of the issues.
I and others made calls over the weekend for Mr David to hold a public meeting to discuss people’s views on Syria, calls he did not act upon. Such a meeting would have allowed Mr David to speak directly, in public, with the very people who he represents, and some of whom elected him.
I am not in support of military intervention in this instance. I believe a more prudent approach would be to target the funding of IS and cut it off from its supply. I am in no doubt that the action that the UK is now engaged in will lead to the indiscriminate killing of civilian men, women and children along with IS fighters. I further believe that a consequence of this form of action will lead to more people becoming radicalised as well as the UK becoming a higher priority target for the so-called Islamic State. Please note that the 7/7 bombings occurred following intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq.
As one of only four Welsh Labour MPs to support action, I fear that Mr David has made a big mistake that he may come to regret.
Yours sincerely,
Nicholas Morgan
Another long standing Caerphilly Labour party member here. I am very angry that Mr David failed to have a consultation woth anyone other than a few ‘ inner circle’ members.
However I think this is another example of how out of touch Mr David is woth many of his constituents and the feelings of the majority of the LP.
He has a record of voting that should be scrutanised.he voted for the Iraq ear… Despite this being a very contentious issue thated to thousands leaving the labour party nationally. He appears to have learned mothing from this, and is happy to vote for military.
To then grizzle to the press that your action in this folly is Questioned by some constituents is arrogent to say the least.
He is happy to condone civillian deaths in Syria but cannot cope with a bot of debate and disagreement.., the irony!
The truth of the matter seems to me is Wayne DVid has been used to a comfortable existsnce, never cengef by a very right wing Caerphilly Labour Party and content woth his nose in the Westminster trough.
Unfortunately for him, thr party in Caerphilly, and nationally is changing.
Jeremy Corbyn won a huge mandate for his leadership , something that Wayne should bevaware of the next te he takes to the MSM amd critisises him. Thr LP is changing and we will want MPs that represent the views of thrir membership, not Blairite has beens .
Wayne David also ‘abstained’ in the vote that subsequently allowed the tories to make the welfare cuts that will affect his own constituents so brutally .
A ‘careerist’ MP, who’s ambitions are as limited as his abilities … Ed’s campaign manager, ( and we all know where that lead ) and more recently, supporter of Andy Burnham as leader ( another fail )
Who’s coat-tails is he hanging onto this time I wonder, as he follows Cameron into the “Yes” lobbies for a ‘war’ that will cost a billion whilst he is meant to be representing one of the poorest and most deprived constituencies not just in Britain, but in Europe ?
I get a feeling Wayne David will be replaced in the not too distant future. He has shown how inept he consistently is.
Well said .It is a tradedy when a Labour MP, from one of the poorest areas in Wales can vote for a bill which will make thousands of his constituants worse off.
Caerphilly Labour Party is run by a right wing clique that fawn upon him.
I would urge anyone who disagrees with Waynes position on Syria to attend the CLP meeting this Friday.