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David Davies

Credentials

• David Davies attended Bassaleg Comprehensive School.¹“UK: Wales: AMs – David Davies,” BBC News, September 1, 1999. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/dfctt

Background

David Davies is a Conservative MP for Monmouth in South Wales. Prior to the government signing the Paris Agreement, he suggested the science on climate change was far from settled, claiming warming associated with the industrial revolution was natural following a little ice age (a common climate change myth).²“David T. C. Davies MP,” Parliament. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/8goss ³David Williamson. “David Davies challenges climate change policies arguing the ‘little ice age’ ended when industrialisation began,” Wales Online, June 11, 2015. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/c0JaQ

Davies is also known for his controversial views on child refugees and gay marriage, and has long campaigned for the UK to leave the European Union. He is currently a member of the Brexit campaign group, Leave Means Leave.⁴Decca Aitkenhead. “David Davies MP: ‘Have a look at my teeth! What’s the problem?’” The Guardian, October 21, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/MBHl3 ⁵Alex Hern. “David Davies MP: I’m not bigoted, I punched a gay man,” New Statesman, December 10, 2012. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/SyWlR ⁶David Davies. “David Davies: I voted and campaigned for Leave. But here’s why I’m supporting the Prime Minister’s Brexit plan.” ConservativeHome, November 18, 2018. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/2us6L ⁷“Who we are,” Leave Means Leave. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/36OM4

Davies signed a letter in 2016 calling for former energy and climate change secretary Amber Rudd to ignore the Committee on Climate Change’s advice and delay setting the fifth carbon budget. The letter, published by the climate science denier campaign group the Global Warming Policy Foundation, was written by fellow Conservative MP Chris Heaton-Harris and signed by Christopher Chope, Sammy Wilson, Steve Baker, John Redwood, Owen Paterson and Graham Stringer, among others.⁸“Letter from 15 MPs to Amber Rudd,” Global Warming Policy Foundation, May 12, 2016. Archived January 18, 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Davies has said the UK’s climate change levy is to blame for fuel poverty, calling for the levy to be scrapped in 2015. In response to a government budget announcement, he argued that Wales was “providing more than its fair share of renewable energy already.”⁹Martin Shipton. “Scrap the climate change levy, says Tory MP David Davies as Wales exceeds renewables target,” Wales Online, July 17, 2015. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jAQeB

Stance on Climate Change

September 2016

In a parliamentary debate on ratifying the Paris Agreement:¹⁰“Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO

“I have never ever denied that the climate changes. In fact, on every single occasion that I have spoken on this subject, I have made the point straightaway that of course the climate changes, but that it has been changing for a lot longer than 250 years.”¹¹“Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO

In a separate debate the following week, he said:¹²“The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78

“…the BBC have accepted hook, line and sinker the so-called scientific consensus on climate change and not allowed anyone onto the airwaves who wants to question it.”¹³“The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78

“If anyone from the BBC is listening, I will debate this with the best scientists they can find in the country or across the world. Bring them on.”¹⁴“The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78

September 10, 2013

Davies proposed a debate on climate change in parliament, during which he said:¹⁵“Climate Change Act debate,” They Work For You, September 10, 2013. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/IP9aj

“…it is not proven that the carbon dioxide that has gone into the atmosphere is responsible for the relatively small amount of warming that has taken place since industrialisation.”¹⁶“Climate Change Act debate,” They Work For You, September 10, 2013. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/IP9aj

Key Quotes

March 4, 2018

In his regular column for the South Wales Argus, Davies wrote:¹⁷David Davies. “YOUR MP WRITES: Monmouth’s David Davies,” South Wales Argus, March 4, 2018. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YtH6S

“Over the last 250 years there has been an average increase in temperatures of less than one degree blamed on man made emissions of CO2, although even the alarmists at the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) accept that some is natural.¹⁸David Davies. “YOUR MP WRITES: Monmouth’s David Davies,” South Wales Argus, March 4, 2018. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YtH6S

“However, an unholy coalition of environmentalists working with big businesses have persuaded various British ministers to phase out cheap electricity from coal and gas and replace it with non-CO2 generating alternatives such as wind, solar and nuclear.”¹⁹David Davies. “YOUR MP WRITES: Monmouth’s David Davies,” South Wales Argus, March 4, 2018. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YtH6S

September 2016

In parliamentary debate on the Paris Agreement:²⁰“Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO

“There was a cooling from the 1940s onwards. That is why, when I was growing up in the 1970s, people were worried that the next ice age was coming.²¹“Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO

“From the mid-1970s until about 1998 there was a significant amount of warming, but from 1998 until now there has been no statistically recognisable warming. People keep referring to the third hottest year on record, or whatever it is, but the reality is that when we look at the actual temperature increases, we see that they are absolutely minute. They are almost impossible to detect. Scientists who are asked about it will also have to admit that the margin for error within those increases is much greater than the increases themselves. Given the level of increase that we are seeing, it is perfectly possible to explain it away, because we are not comparing like with like. We are using slightly different temperature gauges, the areas in which we are using them have moved, some of the areas that they are in have changed over the years, and they can be subject to something called the urban heat island effect or to other natural factors. So there has not really been an increase since 1998.²²“Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO

“Members may shake their heads, but I have raised this with the Met Office, and also with Professor Jim Skea. Scientists refer to it as the Pause, and they have come up with numerous explanations for it. I have heard about volcanoes, for instance, and the heat going into the ocean. At a meeting in this building, Professor Skea suggested that a pause over 16 or 17 years was statistically insignificant, which prompts an obvious question: if 17 years of temperatures not rising are insignificant, why are 30 or 35 years of temperatures increasing slightly so significant that we have to make radical changes to our economy and our industry to try and tackle that?”²³“Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO

In a parliamentary debate on the BBC and impartiality:²⁴“The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78

“Groups such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth are simply described as that and their spokespeople are given licence to say whatever they want, whereas that is not the case for an organisation that may question some of the so-called consensus about climate change. The Global Warming Policy Foundation, for example, will always be described as an organisation set up by Nigel Lawson that questions the scientific consensus around climate change.”²⁵“The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78

“It is regrettable that the BBC has accepted hook, line and sinker the so-called scientific consensus on climate change and not allowed anyone on to the airwaves who wants to question it.”²⁶“The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78

“Top executives have been sent off on training programmes where they are expected to spout the “man-made carbon emissions have caused all sorts of climatic problems” line, which simply is not true. Incidentally, if anyone from the BBC is listening, I will debate this with the best scientists the BBC can find in the country or across the world. Bring them on.”²⁷“The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78

2015

In a parliamentary debate about climate change and flooding:²⁸“Climate Change and Flooding,” They Work For You, December 15, 2015. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/5tXFe

“We have had few debates about global warming and climate change. Climate change has been with us for millions of years, ever since the Earth was created. I urge the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to ask a few hard questions of those who are frankly displaying some hysteria about climate change. In the past 2,000 years, there have been periods of warming and cooling. It was warmer during the Roman period; it got cooler in the dark ages; it was probably warmer during the medieval period than it is now, and it got cooler again until about 1680, during the so-called little ice age.”²⁹“Climate Change and Flooding,” They Work For You, December 15, 2015. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/5tXFe

September 10, 2013

Davies proposed a debate on climate change in parliament, during which he said:³⁰“Climate Change Act debate,” They Work For You, September 10, 2013. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/IP9aj

“…it is not proven that the carbon dioxide that has gone into the atmosphere is responsible for the relatively small amount of warming that has taken place since industrialisation.”³¹“Climate Change Act debate,” They Work For You, September 10, 2013. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/IP9aj

Key Deeds

August 30, 2019

Davies sent a letter to the band The 1975, accusing them of hypocrisy for working with climate activist Greta Thunberg while playing a world tour, which involves flying. He wrote:³²“Climate protest backing pop group ⁦@the1975⁩ are off on a world tour next week. I’ve written to ask them if they are travelling by train or yacht..” Tweet by @DavidTCDavies, August 30, 2019. Retrieved from Twitter.com. Archived .png on file at DeSmog.

“Given your concern about a “climate emergency”, I just wondered how you are going to get to these places? Are you travelling to Asia on the Trans-Siberian Express? Or will you be sailing in a £4m super-yacht like your mate Greta?”³³“Climate protest backing pop group ⁦@the1975⁩ are off on a world tour next week. I’ve written to ask them if they are travelling by train or yacht..” Tweet by @DavidTCDavies, August 30, 2019. Retrieved from Twitter.com. Archived .png on file at DeSmog.

March 2017

Davies signed a letter criticising the BBC’s coverage of the Brexit referendum as biased towards remain campaigners.³⁴Kyla Mandel. “MPs Who Complained About BBC’s Brexit Coverage Linked to Network of Hardline Euro-Climate Sceptics,” DeSmog, March 23, 2017.

May 2016

Davies signed a letter calling on the government to delay setting the fifth carbon budget as recommended by independent advisors the Committee on Climate Change.³⁵“Letter from 15 MPs to Amber Rudd,” Global Warming Policy Foundation, May 12, 2016. Archived January 18, 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

October 2010

Davies attended a meeting of climate science deniers in the UK parliament called “Climate Fools Day,” organised by Democratic Unionist Party MP Sammy Wilson. Piers Corbyn was also in attendance.³⁶Leo Hickman. “Cabal of climate sceptics to descend on UK parliament,” The Guardian, October 26, 2010. Archived January 18, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bKE3s

Affiliations

• Conservative Party — MP.³⁷“David T. C. Davies MP,” Parliament. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/8goss
• Leave Means Leave — Member.³⁸“Who we are,” Leave Means Leave. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/36OM4

Social Media

• @DavidTCDavies on Twitter.
• @davidtcdavies on Facebook.

Publications

• “I voted and campaigned for Leave. But here’s why I’m supporting the Prime Minister’s Brexit plan.” ConservativeHome, November 18, 2018.
• “YOUR MP WRITES: Monmouth’s David Davies,” South Wales Argus, March 4, 2018
• “Migrant ‘children’: Immigration policy can’t be decided on pure emotion,” David Davies website, October 28, 2016.

Other Resources

• “David Davies,” Wikipedia.

Resources

• 1
  “UK: Wales: AMs – David Davies,” BBC News, September 1, 1999. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/dfctt
• 2
  “David T. C. Davies MP,” Parliament. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/8goss
• 3
  David Williamson. “David Davies challenges climate change policies arguing the ‘little ice age’ ended when industrialisation began,” Wales Online, June 11, 2015. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/c0JaQ
• 4
  Decca Aitkenhead. “David Davies MP: ‘Have a look at my teeth! What’s the problem?’” The Guardian, October 21, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/MBHl3
• 5
  Alex Hern. “David Davies MP: I’m not bigoted, I punched a gay man,” New Statesman, December 10, 2012. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/SyWlR
• 6
  David Davies. “David Davies: I voted and campaigned for Leave. But here’s why I’m supporting the Prime Minister’s Brexit plan.” ConservativeHome, November 18, 2018. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/2us6L
• 7
  “Who we are,” Leave Means Leave. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/36OM4
• 8
  “Letter from 15 MPs to Amber Rudd,” Global Warming Policy Foundation, May 12, 2016. Archived January 18, 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 9
  Martin Shipton. “Scrap the climate change levy, says Tory MP David Davies as Wales exceeds renewables target,” Wales Online, July 17, 2015. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jAQeB
• 10
  “Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO
• 11
  “Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO
• 12
  “The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78
• 13
  “The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78
• 14
  “The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78
• 15
  “Climate Change Act debate,” They Work For You, September 10, 2013. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/IP9aj
• 16
  “Climate Change Act debate,” They Work For You, September 10, 2013. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/IP9aj
• 17
  David Davies. “YOUR MP WRITES: Monmouth’s David Davies,” South Wales Argus, March 4, 2018. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YtH6S
• 18
  David Davies. “YOUR MP WRITES: Monmouth’s David Davies,” South Wales Argus, March 4, 2018. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YtH6S
• 19
  David Davies. “YOUR MP WRITES: Monmouth’s David Davies,” South Wales Argus, March 4, 2018. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/YtH6S
• 20
  “Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO
• 21
  “Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO
• 22
  “Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO
• 23
  “Paris Agreement on Climate Change debate,” They Work For You, September 7, 2016. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/jdaiO
• 24
  “The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78
• 25
  “The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78
• 26
  “The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78
• 27
  “The BBC and Political Impartiality,” They Work For You, September 14, 2016. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bsX78
• 28
  “Climate Change and Flooding,” They Work For You, December 15, 2015. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/5tXFe
• 29
  “Climate Change and Flooding,” They Work For You, December 15, 2015. Archived February 6, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/5tXFe
• 30
  “Climate Change Act debate,” They Work For You, September 10, 2013. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/IP9aj
• 31
  “Climate Change Act debate,” They Work For You, September 10, 2013. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/IP9aj
• 32
  “Climate protest backing pop group ⁦@the1975⁩ are off on a world tour next week. I’ve written to ask them if they are travelling by train or yacht..” Tweet by @DavidTCDavies, August 30, 2019. Retrieved from Twitter.com. Archived .png on file at DeSmog.
• 33
  “Climate protest backing pop group ⁦@the1975⁩ are off on a world tour next week. I’ve written to ask them if they are travelling by train or yacht..” Tweet by @DavidTCDavies, August 30, 2019. Retrieved from Twitter.com. Archived .png on file at DeSmog.
• 34
  Kyla Mandel. “MPs Who Complained About BBC’s Brexit Coverage Linked to Network of Hardline Euro-Climate Sceptics,” DeSmog, March 23, 2017.
• 35
  “Letter from 15 MPs to Amber Rudd,” Global Warming Policy Foundation, May 12, 2016. Archived January 18, 2019. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 36
  Leo Hickman. “Cabal of climate sceptics to descend on UK parliament,” The Guardian, October 26, 2010. Archived January 18, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/bKE3s
• 37
  “David T. C. Davies MP,” Parliament. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/8goss
• 38
  “Who we are,” Leave Means Leave. Archived February 4, 2019. Archive.fo URL: http://archive.fo/36OM4