Turnout in Haltemprice and Howden was a measly 34 per cent, less than half of what it was at the general election.

No doubt DD’s apologists will claim that this is all the Labour Party’s fault for not standing a candidate (shame on us for not jumping when DD clicks his fingers!). But no amount of spin or argument can disguise the fact that the Haltemprice and Howden by-election has been a colossal waste of time, effort and money.

More importantly, it has had not the slightest impact on public support for (or opposition to) the policy of 42 days detention.

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Start giggling now. There are 25 independent and wacky candidates who have decided it is a good use of their money to stand against Davis in Haltemprice and Howden.

David Davis and the Conservative blogosphere have made much of how they hate CCTV and the DNA database - conveniently forgetting that these things were introduced by the last Conservative government.

According to a pole by ICM for the Mail on Sunday the Sun's ex-editor Kelvin MacKenzie would attract only 14% of the vote in Haltemprice & Howden compared with 67% for David Davis. Apparenty MacKenzie is having second thoughts about standing. Wot a shocker!!

Labour should not stand a candidate against David Davis in the Haltemprice and Howden by-election to show the stunt up for what it really is - a waste of the electorate's time, and taxpayers' money.