Editing Ed Davey (section)

==Parliamentary career (1997–2015)==
Davey was elected to the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]], at his first attempt, in the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], where he defeated [[Richard Tracey]], the sitting [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] MP for the former constituency of [[Surbiton (UK Parliament constituency)|Surbiton]], with a majority of just 56 votes, and remained the seat's MP for 18 years.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16861022 |title=Profile: Ed Davey |work=BBC News |date=3 February 2012 |access-date=3 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206010128/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16861022 |archive-date=6 February 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> In his [[maiden speech]], on 6 June 1997, he gave his support for the setting up of the [[London Assembly]], but was against the idea of a directly elected [[Mayor of London]]; he also spoke of the effects governmental cuts were having on education delivery in the [[Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames]].<ref name="Hansard-DaveyMaiden">{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970606/debtext/70606-14.htm#70606-14_spnew3 |title=House of Commons Hansard Debates for 6 June 1997 (pt 14) |publisher=[[Hansard]] |date=6 July 1997 |access-date=31 July 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060827142805/http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo970606/debtext/70606-14.htm#70606-14_spnew3 |archive-date=27 August 2006 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1998, he was the primary sponsor of an [[early day motion]] supporting the repeal of the [[Greenwich judgment]], which prevents local authorities from giving their own residents priority access to school places.<ref name="EDM1206">{{cite web |title=Early day motion 1206 – The Greenwich Judgement |url=http://www.parliament.uk/edm/1997-98/1206 |website=Parliament.uk |access-date=25 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810013103/http://www.parliament.uk/edm/1997-98/1206 |archive-date=10 August 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2001, he opposed government proposals for restrictions on [[gambling machine]]s, which he described as a "silly bit of [[nanny state]] politics".<ref>{{cite web|title=News release from Edward Davey – Gaming in Social clubs|url=http://www.cix.co.uk/~ldsk/news129.htm|website=www.cix.co.uk|access-date=14 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050513020855/http://www.cix.co.uk/~ldsk/news129.htm|archive-date=13 May 2005|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Early day motion 259 – GAMING MACHINES IN CLUBS|url=https://www.parliament.uk/edm/2001-02/259|website=UK Parliament|access-date=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815055307/https://www.parliament.uk/edm/2001-02/259|archive-date=15 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Early day motion 222 – GAMING LAWS|url=https://www.parliament.uk/edm/2001-02/222|website=UK Parliament|access-date=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815024145/https://www.parliament.uk/edm/2001-02/222|archive-date=15 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2003, Davey publicly backed local constituent and [[NHS]] [[whistleblower]] Ian Perkin, who alleged he had been sacked from his director of finance role for exposing statistics manipulation at [[St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust|St George's NHS healthcare trust]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2641657.stm|title=NHS boss sacked for 'whistleblowing'|date=2003|access-date=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202031143/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2641657.stm|archive-date=2 December 2008|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2003/jan/09/hospitals.nhsstaff|title=Hospital finance director 'sacked for whistleblowing'|last=Hall|first=Sarah|date=9 January 2003|work=The Guardian|access-date=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815090943/https://www.theguardian.com/society/2003/jan/09/hospitals.nhsstaff|archive-date=15 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Davey condemned the NHS bureaucracy as "[[Stalinist]]" and called for an inquiry into Perkin's case,<ref>{{cite news|last=Hawkes|first=Nigel|title=NHS chief sacked for exposing 'fiddle'|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/nhs-chief-sacked-for-exposing-fiddle-5gbcpqsb3pr|date=2003|work=[[The Times]]|access-date=14 August 2018|issn=0140-0460|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815055314/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nhs-chief-sacked-for-exposing-fiddle-5gbcpqsb3pr|archive-date=15 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2003/01/finance-directors-sacking-highlights-stalinist-nhs-says-mp|title=Finance directors sacking highlights Stalinist NHS, says MP {{!}} Public Finance|website=www.publicfinance.co.uk|access-date=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815055253/https://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2003/01/finance-directors-sacking-highlights-stalinist-nhs-says-mp|archive-date=15 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> while personally meeting trust executives to discuss the case on behalf of Perkin.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/best-law-firms/profile-legal/article/blow-the-whistle-and-youre-history-nsf538wv66h|title=Blow the whistle and you're history|last=Gornall|first=Jonathan|date=10 February 2004|work=[[The Times]]|access-date=14 August 2018|issn=0140-0460|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815024600/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/blow-the-whistle-and-youre-history-nsf538wv66h|archive-date=15 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 2003, Davey introduced the clause which repealed the prohibition of "promotion of homosexuality" under [[Section 28]] of the [[Local Government Act 1988]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmstand/a/st030213/am/30213s07.htm#end|title=House of Commons Standing Committee A (pt 7)|work=parliament.uk|access-date=31 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422212920/https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmstand/a/st030213/am/30213s07.htm#end|archive-date=22 April 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The legislation was repealed in March.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2837515.stm|title=Tories lose Section 28 vote|date=11 March 2003|access-date=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060427022152/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2837515.stm|archive-date=27 April 2006|url-status=live}}</ref> He was one of the contributors to ''[[The Orange Book]]'' (2004).<ref name="autogenerated1" />

In 2006, Davey was one of eight Liberal Democrat MPs, including [[Jeremy Browne]] and [[Mark Oaten]], who opposed a total ban on smoking in clubs and pubs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4714660.stm|title=In full: How MPs voted|date=14 February 2006|access-date=18 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507122335/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4714660.stm|archive-date=7 May 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> He called the ban "a bit too nanny state".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/687163.Smoking_ban_with_love/|title=Smoking ban with love|website=East London and West Essex Guardian Series|date=10 February 2006 |access-date=18 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201041533/http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/687163.Smoking_ban_with_love/|archive-date=1 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/694973.Pubs_____We___ll_cope_with_smoke_ban___/|title=Pubs: 'We'll cope with smoke ban'|website=Watford Observer|date=24 February 2006 |access-date=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815025043/http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/694973.Pubs_____We___ll_cope_with_smoke_ban___/|archive-date=15 August 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In an article for the ''[[Financial Times]]'' in 2007, Davey and [[London School of Economics|LSE]] economist [[Tim Leunig]] proposed a new system of community land auctions through [[First-price sealed-bid auction|sealed bids]] with a new tax, to take place before the land was given [[Planning permission in the United Kingdom|planning permission]]. They suggested that councils could take in tax the difference between the land owner's [[asking price]] and the highest bidder's offer, claiming this would stimulate [[Home construction|development]] and the revenue then used to lower other taxation.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Davey |first1=Edward |last2=Leunig |first2=Tim |date=24 July 2007 |title=Auction land to ease the housing crisis |url=https://www.ft.com/content/516ecf08-3a0f-11dc-9d73-0000779fd2ac |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201040936/https://www.ft.com/content/516ecf08-3a0f-11dc-9d73-0000779fd2ac |archive-date=1 December 2017 |access-date=19 November 2017 |website=Financial Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Ricketts |first=Simon |others=Field, Duncan. |title=Localism and planning |publisher=Bloomsbury Professional |date=2012 |location=Haywards Heath |isbn=9781847669452 |oclc=769473127}}</ref>

===Lib Dem spokesperson===
[[File:Ed Davey 01.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|Davey in 2008|left]]
Following Davey's election to parliament in 1997, he was appointed as the Lib Dem's spokesman on [[HM Treasury|Treasury Affairs]]. He added the post of [[Whip (politics)|whip]] in 1998, and as the spokesman on London from 2000.

Davey was re-elected in the [[2001 United Kingdom general election|2001 general election]], increasing his share of the vote from 36.7% to 60.2%. He increased his majority from just 56 to 15,676, beating former Conservative MP [[David Shaw (British politician)|David Shaw]]. He joined the Liberal Democrat frontbench under Leader [[Charles Kennedy]] in the same year when he was appointed the party's spokesperson for [[Chief Secretary to the Treasury|Treasury matters]]. In 2002, he became the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the [[Office of the Deputy Prime Minister]]. He was appointed spokesperson for [[Secretary of State for Education|Education and Skills]] in 2005, before becoming spokesperson for [[Department of Trade and Industry (United Kingdom)|Trade and Industry]] in March 2006. In December 2006, he succeeded [[Norman Lamb]] as Chief of Staff to [[Menzies Campbell]], the new party leader.<ref name="autogenerated1"/> Davey was chair of the party's Campaigns and Communications Committee. Following [[Nick Clegg]]'s election as Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Davey was awarded the Foreign Affairs brief, and continued to retain his chairmanship of the party's Campaigns and Communications Committee.<ref name="LibDem-EdwardDavey" />

On 26 February 2008, Davey was [[suspension from the UK parliament|suspended from parliament]] for the day for ignoring a warning from the Deputy Speaker. He was protesting about the exclusion by the Speaker of a Liberal Democrat motion to debate and vote on whether the [[Brexit|UK should have a referendum on staying in the EU]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Lib Dem ordered out of EU debate |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7265516.stm |work=BBC News |date=26 February 2008 |access-date=1 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080303005914/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7265516.stm |archive-date=3 March 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>

At the 2009 Liberal Democrat conference, Davey caused controversy by calling for dialogue with the [[Taliban]], through declaring that it was "time for tea with the Taliban",<ref>[http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2009/09/ed-davey-tea-with-taleban.html Ed Davey & Tea With the Taleban] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414181141/http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2009/09/ed-davey-tea-with-taleban.html |date=14 April 2010}} Iain Dale's Diary, 20 September 2009</ref> a comment echoed by [[Malala Yousafzai]] four years later to the BBC.<ref>{{cite news |title=Malala: We must talk to the Taliban to get peace |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-24333273 |access-date=28 March 2014 |work=BBC News |date=7 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220005126/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-24333273 |archive-date=20 February 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>