Duncan Smith appoints Davies as shadow spokesperson for NI

Newly elected Conservative Party Leader Ian Duncan Smith has appointed Quentin Davies as the shadow spokesperson for Northern Ireland.

The MP for Grantham and Stamford Mr Davies appointment was announced on Thursday as part of the initial round of shadow cabinet appointments as Ian Duncan Smith announced his front bench team.

Mr Davies said that he was looking forward to visiting Northern Ireland. He said that he would come to the province “completely fresh” and expressed the hope that without any prejudices or pre-judgements a “genuinely open mind” was the best way to approach the task.

Mr Duncan Smith, who saw of a challenge from fierce opponent Kenneth Clarke, was expected to announce the other appointments to his front bench opposition team on Friday.

He quickly moved to say that he would back the Government’s stance in supporting the US in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

The new Conservative Party leader will face a tough time as he tries to lift the party out of the doldrums, back into effective opposition and re-create the party as a serious contender to wrest Government from the Labour Party. (SP)