David Davis: it’s nice to be wanted - but is there a job for him?

A majority of Conservative grassroots supporters may want David Davis to return to add bite to David Cameron's front bench in the New Year, but the Mole hears that this particular Big Beast is playing hard to get.

A survey over Christmas for Conservativehome.com showed that 72 per cent wanted Davis to return to the Shadow Cabinet compared to only 22 per cent who wanted the broken-nosed bruiser to stay on the backbenches.

That is far more than the grassroots support for bringing back Ken Clarke, whose views on Europe are still regarded as anathema by many Conservatives and split Tory opinion about him. The survey showed just 50 per cent wanted Ken back compared to 41 per cent who wouldn't touch him with the proverbial bargepole.

David Cameron may also have made it awkward to bring back Ken as Shadow Business Secretary after saying in his New Year message: "Labour are wasting billions of pounds on useless schemes like their temporary VAT cut."

Ooops... I seem to remember it was Ken Clarke who led the calls for the VAT cut which the Government duly heeded. Lord Mandelson would have a field day with his new shadow.

So the Tory backbenchers hoping for more firepower on their front bench are pinning their hopes on DD to return to the fold. But not so fast!

The Mole hears Davis has told friends that he is not interested in coming back as Shadow Home Secretary, the job he vacated to launch his one-man campaign against pre-charge detention of terrorist suspects.

He has made it virtually impossible for Cameron to remove his successor, Dominic Grieve, even going on the record in a conversation with Andrew Marr this summer to praise Grieve, saying he "may do it better than I will".

Defence then? Liam Fox, the current Shadow Defence Secretary, is a bit of a terrier but essentially lacks heavyweight punch. Davis knows all about the subject - he trades on his 'hard man' reputation as a former SAS reservist. But he's not interested in the Shadow Defence job - it would be a demotion.

That leaves only two possible jobs that he would consider - Shadow Chancellor, which Cameron appears to be determined to leave with his pal George Osborne, and Foreign Secretary, which is firmly in the grip of William Hague. Cameron could move Hague, but he would risk provoking him to spend more time with his bank balance.

Davis has a reputation as a loner. He may change his mind nearer the general election, but right now he's savouring the support he is getting from the grassroots and biding his time. Happy New Year.

THE MOLE: TORY RESHUFFLE

FIRST POSTED JANUARY 2, 2009