Former Vale MP runs for election

4:17pm Tuesday 8th July 2008

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FORMER Vale Tory MP Walter Sweeney is to stand against former Tory shadow cabinet minister David Davis in the Haltemprice & Howden by-election.

Mr Sweeney defeated current Vale MP John Smith in the 1992 General Election, when he stood for the Conservatives.

The lawyer will stand as an Independent candidate on July 10 to contest the Yorkshire constituency by-election - a result of David Davis' resignation from the Commons in protest against government plans to extend pre-charge detentions for terror suspects to a maximum of 42 days.

The contest sets a new record for the largest number of candidates in a by-election with 26 candidates setting their sights on becoming an MP.

Father-of-two Mr Sweeney said: "Although I am naturally concerned about the length of time which suspects can spend in custody without being charged, I am much more worried about protecting the public from terrorist outrages.

"I am perfectly happy to see CCTV in our city centres, and successfully campaigned for their introduction in Barry when I represented the Vale of Glamorgan.

"Mr Davis and others need to wake up, and stand up for the freedoms of law abiding people who want to restore our national sovereignty before it is too late."