The New Nation - Internet Edition

Guardian, London

The shadow home secretary, David Davis, yesterday dramatically and unexpectedly announced that he is to resign as an MP and force a byelection over the government's 42-day terror detention plan.

Davis, the Haltemprice and Howden MP, made a statement outside the House of Commons at 1pm, taking Westminster by surprise. David Cameron quickly appointed Dominic Grieve, the shadow attorney-general, as his new shadow home secretary.

Cameron described Davis's move as "courageous" but emphasised that it was a personal one. He wished Davis well in his campaign and said that he and other Conservatives "may well" go up to campaign for him.

But announcing Grieve's appointment, he said: "My responsibility as leader of the

Conservative party is to put inplace at all times the strongest, best and most permanent team and to offer our country a better government."

Davis said was resigning as an MP to "take a stand" and force a byelection on the issue of the "relentless erosion" of freedom in the wake of the government's 42-day terror detention plan. "I will argue in this byelection against the slow strangulation of fundamental British freedoms by this government."

He said the undermining of civil liberties through moves such as 42 days and the introduction of ID cards "cannot go on".

"It must be stopped and for that reason today I feel it is incumbent on me to take a stand," he told reporters outside the Commons.

Aides to Davis had indicated that last night's vote was "do or die", and he had staked a great deal of his credibility on the outcome.

Privately Davis has accepted that many on the Tory benches were uncomfortable about opposing tough law-and-order measures.

However, he is seen as one of the shadow cabinet's best operators, and has claimed the scalps of a succession of home secretaries.

His popularity among the Conservative grass roots was demonstrated when he came runner-up to David Cameron for the party leadership in 2005.

A spokeswoman for David Cameron insisted there was "absolutely no rift" between the two men.

Davis told Cameron and the Liberal Democrat leader, Nick Clegg, about his decision last night. The Liberal Democrats were quick to put out a statement saying that they would not put up a candidate against Davis.

Clegg said: "David Davis's decision to resign his seat and fight a byelection over the issue of 42 days is a dramatic move. I am grateful to him for having informed me following the vote of his intention to take this step.

"The Liberal Democrats have consistently opposed this unnecessary and illiberal proposal which poses a threat so serious to British liberties that it transcends party politics.

"I have therefore decided, after consultation with the party nationally and locally, that we will not stand a candidate at the forthcoming byelection which will be contested by David Davis solely on this issue.

"The Liberal Democrats will of course fight the Haltemprice and Howden seat as vigorously as ever at the next general election."

The Lib Dems had targeted the seat in 2005 as part of its ill-fated "decapitation" strategy to unseat key Tory figures but Davis was re-elected with a 5,116 majority.

Labour sources also said they were unlikely to put up a candidate against Davis, describing his actions as a "stunt".

Labour MP Denis MacShane said: "We are looking at an Italian political drama. It's a stunt.