2008 Haltemprice and Howden by-election would extend the legal detention of terror suspects without charge to a maximum of 42 days. Explaining his actions, Davis stated he intended to spark a wider public debate about the perceived erosion of civil liberties by the then Labour government, which in the following week was launched as the 'David Davis for Freedom campaign'. Culture Secretary Andy Burnham called on Davis to fund the cost of the by-election to the taxpayer, estimated at £80,000, from his own pocket. Davis had held the seat as a Conservative since its creation in 1997, having previously been MP since 1987 for the
Movement for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy Movement for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy The Movement for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy (), abbreviated to MELD, was a national-conservative political party at European level founded in 2011, composed of parties belonging to the Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) group in the European Parliament, with the notable absence of the UK Independence Party, which was a member of the EFD, but not of the MELD. In 2012, MELD received a grant from the European Parliament of €621,482. Its affiliated political foundation was the Foundation for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy (FELD), which received a