Phil Davies (politician)

Phil Davies
Cllr Phil Davies.jpg
Councillor Phil Davies speaking at a public meeting in Hoylake in December 2017.
Leader of Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
In office
14 May 2012 – 14 May 2019
DeputyGeorge Davies
Preceded byJeff Green
Succeeded byPat Hackett
Labour Party Group Leader
on Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
In office
29 March 2012 – 5 May 2019
DeputyBernie Mooney
Preceded bySteve Foulkes
Succeeded byPat Hackett
Wirral Metropolitan Borough Councillor
for Birkenhead and Tranmere
Birkenhead (1991–2004)
In office
2 May 1991 – 2 May 2019
Preceded byArthur Smith
Succeeded bySteve Hayes
Majority1,367 (24.5%)
Personal details
Born
Phillip Leslie Davies

(1959-04-08) 8 April 1959 (age 65)
Political partyLabour
Residence(s)West Kirby, Wirral, UK
EducationWirral Metropolitan College
University of Warwick
University of Strathclyde

Phillip Leslie Davies (born 8 April 1959), is a British Labour politician and former Leader of Wirral Council.[1]

Education

BA (Hons) Politics, University of Warwick, 1978–81; PhD in Public Policy, University of Strathclyde, 1981-85. Davies studied at Wirral Met College between 1975 and 1978[2]

Political career

Councillor

Davies was first elected to Wirral Council in 1991 for the then Labour safe seat of Birkenhead.[3] In 2004, he was successfully re-elected to the Birkenhead and Tranmere ward after boundary changes.[4][5]

Labour group leader

In March 2012, Davies was deputy leader of the Labour group when then leader Steve Foulkes, who lost a vote of confidence as leader of the council in February, stood down citing the "constant stress" of the role.[6] Davies was subsequently elected in his place and was leader of the opposition until Labour took control of the council that May.[7]

On 16 October 2018 he said he was to stand down as both Leader of the Council and councillor for Birkenhead and Tranmere at the next local elections in May 2019.[8] His seat was gained by Steve Hayes of the Green Party on a majority of 1,140 over the Labour candidate.[9]

On 24 June he was made an Honorary Alderman of Wirral Council.[10]

Wirral West parliamentary candidate

Davies was selected as the Labour candidate for the Wirral West Constituency at the 2010 General Election after the incumbent MP, Stephen Hesford, stood down for family reasons.[11] Davies lost to future Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Esther McVey, by a margin of 2,436.

Merseyside Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner nomination

Davies is currently the only candidate to be selected as deputy to Jane Kennedy, Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside.[12] Kennedy, whose previous deputy Emily Spurrell stood down after Kennedy left the Labour Party, was due to stand down at the May 2020 election but had her term extended due to the delay of said election warranting a new deputy. However, after being offered the position, Phil Davies decided to decline the appointment on the grounds that it would require too high a level of commitment, and that he preferred to continue enjoying his retirement.[13]

Electoral history

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 7 May 2015: Birkenhead and Tranmere
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phillip Davies 3,130 56.0 Increase15.2
Green Jayne Clough 1,763 31.6 Decrease16.1
UKIP Laurence Sharpe-Stevens 447 8.0 Decrease1.6
Conservative June Cowin 183 3.3 Increase1.3
Liberal Democrats Mary Price 61 1.1 New
Majority 1,367 24.5 N/A
Registered electors 9,854
Turnout 56.9 Increase21.5
Labour hold Swing Increase15.6

[14]

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 5 May 2011: Birkenhead and Tranmere
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phillip Davies 1,750 53.9 Increase2.1
Green Pat Cleary 1,133 34.9 Increase11.3
Conservative June Cowin 148 4.6 Decrease3.6
UKIP David Martin 120 3.7 Decrease0.6
Liberal Democrats Allan Brame 95 3.0 Decrease9.3
Majority 617 19.0 Decrease9.3
Registered electors 9,807
Turnout 33.2 Decrease14.1
Labour hold Swing Decrease4.6

[15]

General Election, 6 May 2010: Wirral West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Esther McVey 16,726 42.5 Increase0.7
Labour Phillip Davies 14,290 36.3 Decrease4.0
Liberal Democrats Peter Reisdorf 6,630 16.8 Increase0.5
UKIP Philip Griffiths 899 2.3 Increase1.1
Ind. Conservative David Kirwan 506 1.3 Increase1.3
Common Sense Party David James 321 0.8 Increase0.8
Majority 2,436 6.2 N/A
Turnout 39,372 71.5 Increase3.4
Conservative gain from Labour Swing Increase2.4

[16][17]

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 3 May 2007: Birkenhead and Tranmere
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phillip Davies 1,399 62.4 Increase9.2
Liberal Democrats Alan Brighouse 333 14.9 Increase0.5
Conservative June Cowin 255 11.4 Increase2.2
Green Catherine Page 254 11.3 Increase3.2
Majority 1,066 47.5 Increase9.4
Registered electors 10,374
Turnout 21.7 Increase0.8
Labour hold Swing Increase4.7

[18][19]

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 10 June 2004: Birkenhead and Tranmere
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jean Stapleton 1,400 47.7 N/A
Labour Phillip Davies 1,292
Labour David Christian 1,275
WIN Andrew Dow 408 13.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats Phillip Lloyd 401 13.7 N/A
WIN Deirdre Baker 382
Liberal Democrats Alan Brighouse 376
Liberal Democrats Margaret Teggin 349
WIN John Maher 311
Green Catherine Page 249 8.5 N/A
BNP John Edwards 246 8.4 N/A
Conservative Tom Parker 233 7.9 N/A
Conservative Kenneth Jackson 217
Conservative Elizabeth Johnson 186
Majority 992 33.8 N/A
Registered electors 10,364
Turnout 27.0 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)

[20]

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1 May 2003: Birkenhead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phillip Davies 1,157 70.3 Decrease10.1
Liberal Democrats Philip Lloyd 188 11.4 Decrease1.3
Conservative David Noble 118 7.2 Increase0.4
WIN John Maher 98 6.0 New
Socialist Alliance Against The War Morag Reid 45 2.7 New
Green Christopher Childe 40 2.4 New
Majority 969 58.9 Decrease8.8
Registered electors 9,867
Turnout 16.7 Decrease1.8
Labour hold Swing Decrease4.4

[21]

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 6 May 1999: Birkenhead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phillip Davies 1,298 74.1 Decrease5.0
Liberal Democrats Mary Williams 166 9.5 Decrease11.4
Conservative Susan Bebell 132 7.5 New
Socialist Labour Alec McFadden 94 5.4 New
Green Stuart Harvey 62 3.5 New
Majority 1,132 64.6 Increase6.4
Registered electors 9,887
Turnout 17.7 Increase0.4
Labour hold Swing Increase3.2

[3]

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 4 May 1995: Birkenhead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phillip Davies 2,850 88.3 Increase3.9
Liberal Democrats P. Cooke 196 6.1 Decrease2.1
Conservative B. Brassey 183 5.7 Decrease1.6
Majority 2,654 82.2 Increase6.0
Registered electors 10,508
Turnout 30.7 Decrease4.2
Labour hold Swing Increase3.0

[3]

Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council election, 2 May 1991: Birkenhead
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phillip Davies 2,610 71.0 Decrease10.8
Conservative J. Oliver 490 13.3 Increase5.3
Liberal Democrats Stephen Niblock 404 11.0 Increase4.5
Green Pamela Mitchell 174 4.7 Increase1.0
Majority 2,120 57.7 Decrease16.1
Registered electors 10,912
Turnout 33.7 Decrease9.7
Labour hold Swing Decrease8.1

[3]

References

  1. ^ "Councillor Phil Davies". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
  2. ^ "Cabinet (Special) (Wirral Council) 28th February 2018 Wirral Growth Company Ltd". John Brace.
  3. ^ a b c d "Wirral Metropolitan Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre.
  4. ^ "The Borough of Wirral (Electoral Changes) Order 2003". legislation.gov.uk.
  5. ^ "Local election - 10 June 2004". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
  6. ^ "Wirral council Labour group leader Steve Foulkes steps down". BBC News.
  7. ^ "Wirral Council under Labour control as party win majority". Liverpool Echo.
  8. ^ Houghton, Tom. "Leader of Wirral Council makes surprise decision to step down and leave politics". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Election results for Birkenhead and Tranmere". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  10. ^ "CONFERMENT OF THE TITLE OF HONORARY ALDERMAN OR ALDERWOMAN" (PDF). Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  11. ^ "Labour MP Stephen Hesford to stand down at election". BBC News Online. 23 January 2010.
  12. ^ Manning, Craig. "Ex-Wirral Council leader Phil Davies in running for deputy crime commissioner". Wirral Globe.
  13. ^ Garnett, Richard. "Phil Davies will not take up role as Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner". Wirral Globe.
  14. ^ "Election Result for Birkenhead and Tranmere ward on 7 May 2015". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
  15. ^ "Election Result for Birkenhead and Tranmere ward on 5 May 2011". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
  16. ^ "Election Data 2010". Electoral Calculus. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Latest news - www.wirral.gov.uk". www.wirral.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  18. ^ "Birkenhead and Tranmere Ward — Wirral". Local Elections Archive Project.
  19. ^ "03 May 2007 - Election Results". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
  20. ^ "Local Election - 10 June 2004". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
  21. ^ "Local Election - 01 May 2003". Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
Political offices
Preceded by
Arthur Smith
Councillor for Birkenhead
1992–2004
Succeeded by
Ward abolished
Preceded by
Ward Created
Councillor for Birkenhead and Tranmere
2004–2019
Succeeded by
Steve Hayes
Preceded by Leader of Wirral Council
2012–2019
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by
Steve Foulkes
Leader of Wirral Council Labour Group
2012–2019
Succeeded by