---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well it's not a matter for me to say what…"
description: "\"Well it's not a matter for me to say what Llew Smith can or cannot do, he's an elected Member of Parliament.\" — Ron Davies"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/ron-davies-35853_cannot_well-it-s-not-a-matter-for-me-to-say-wha_1047134.jpg"
---

#  Well it's not a matter for me to say what Llew Smith can…

![“Well it's not a matter for me to say what Llew Smith can or cannot do, he's an elected Member of Parliament.” quote by Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/ron-davies-35853_cannot_well-it-s-not-a-matter-for-me-to-say-wha_1047134.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/ron-davies-35853_cannot_well-it-s-not-a-matter-for-me-to-say-wha_1047134.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/ron-davies-35853_cannot_well-it-s-not-a-matter-for-me-to-say-wha_1047134.jpg)

> “Well it's not a matter for me to say what Llew Smith can or cannot do, he's an elected Member of Parliament.”

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker defers judgment on a colleague's capabilities, emphasizing respect for elected office.

**In simple terms:** He says he won't judge a fellow MP's abilities.

Key Takeaway

Respect elected roles.

Themes

respect politics judgment

Mood

formal neutral

Type

political statement

When to use this quote

- parliamentary debate
- public statements
- media interviews

Key Concepts

democracy authority

Questions to Reflect On

- How should elected officials be evaluated?
- When is it appropriate to question a colleague's competence?

A Different Perspective

May limit accountability for performance.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Parliament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parliament/)

## Related quotes

> [Now, I think that in acknowledging that every individual Member of Parliament and indeed every individual member of the Labour Party, has rights to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/now-i-think-that-in-acknowledging-that-every-individual-member-of/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [At times I wonder whether or not your role as a member of Parliament... may in fact inhibit a relationship developing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-giddings/at-times-i-wonder-whether-or-not-your-role-as-a-member-of-parliament/)

[Lara Giddings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-giddings/)

> [I want my reputation to be judged on how I tackle the problem of ice if I'm elected as the member for Canning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-colvin/i-want-my-reputation-to-be-judged-on-how-i-tackle-the-problem-of-ice/)

[Mark Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-colvin/)

> [I am aware that by many persons, it is considered in the nature of a joke to to become a candidate and to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-am-aware-that-by-many-persons-it-is-considered-in-the-nature-of-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Chad Smith is a member of Chickenfoot, and that's that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-anthony/chad-smith-is-a-member-of-chickenfoot-and-that-s-that/)

[Michael Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-anthony/)

> [Mystical groups such as the Theosophical Society and the Rosicrucians turned tarot into an American fad during the early 1900s. Many American tarot practitioners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-i-koerner/mystical-groups-such-as-the-theosophical-society-and-the-rosicrucians/)

[Brendan I. Koerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-i-koerner/)

> [I was blessed by my parents and my antecedents by a very strong work ethic. I mean, being a Member of Parliament is 24/7,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-jackson/i-was-blessed-by-my-parents-and-my-antecedents-by-a-very-strong-work/)

[Glenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-jackson/)

> [Parliament is not a congress of ambassadors from different and hostile interests; which interests each must maintain, as an agent and advocate, against other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/parliament-is-not-a-congress-of-ambassadors-from-different-and/)

[Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/)

> [It has been the greatest privilege of my adult and public life to have served, for 32 years, as the Member of Parliament for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/it-has-been-the-greatest-privilege-of-my-adult-and-public-life-to/)

[Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/)

> [Parliament is a deliberative assembly of one nation.You choose a Member indeed; but when you have chosen him, heisnotthe Member for Bristol, but heisa…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/parliament-is-a-deliberative-assembly-of-one-nation-you-choose-a/)

[Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/)

> [Having served as a member of parliament for more than two decades, I'm well aware that there can be genuine constraints that affect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-widdecombe/having-served-as-a-member-of-parliament-for-more-than-two-decades-i-m/)

[Ann Widdecombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-widdecombe/)

> [ I am an Orangeman first and a politician and member of this parliament \[Stormont\] afterwards. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lane-craig/i-am-an-orangeman-first-and-a-politician-and-member-of-this/)

[William Lane Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lane-craig/)

> [When I go in and talk to students about being a Member of Parliament, I say to them it took me 21 years from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicky-morgan/when-i-go-in-and-talk-to-students-about-being-a-member-of-parliament/)

[Nicky Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicky-morgan/)

> [“People seem to think that if a man is a Member of Parliament he may do what he pleases. ... Being in Parliament used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-trollope/people-seem-to-think-that-if-a-man-is-a-member-of-parliament-he-may/)

[Anthony Trollope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-trollope/)

> [An influential member of parliament has not only to pay much money to become such, and to give time and labour, he has also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-bagehot/an-influential-member-of-parliament-has-not-only-to-pay-much-money-to/)

[Walter Bagehot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-bagehot/)

## More by Ron Davies

> [There is so much that can be done, you see, the assembly is about improving our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/there-is-so-much-that-can-be-done-you-see-the-assembly-is-about/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [And, I hope now that everybody understands that the Labour Party - as it always has done - stands for free speech and individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/and-i-hope-now-that-everybody-understands-that-the-labour-party-as-it/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [I have - I have more than an interesting task in piloting Wales into our new democracy, without wanting to exercise draconian powers on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/i-have-i-have-more-than-an-interesting-task-in-piloting-wales-into/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [What I've said in the past is that I want the Labour Party to approach this matter on the basis of unity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/what-i-ve-said-in-the-past-is-that-i-want-the-labour-party-to/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [I also want to draw attention to the responsibilities that people have to live up to their election promises and to live up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/i-also-want-to-draw-attention-to-the-responsibilities-that-people/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [Now, I think that in acknowledging that every individual Member of Parliament and indeed every individual member of the Labour Party, has rights to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/now-i-think-that-in-acknowledging-that-every-individual-member-of/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [I am saying that in Wales here we have a very clear election commitment and I hope, and I will express this view, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/i-am-saying-that-in-wales-here-we-have-a-very-clear-election/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [I've made it abundantly clear and I'll repeat yet again there's no question of gagging individuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/i-ve-made-it-abundantly-clear-and-i-ll-repeat-yet-again-there-s-no/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [First of all it has never been the case that I have threatened people with expulsion or that I've threatened to throw people out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/first-of-all-it-has-never-been-the-case-that-i-have-threatened-people/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [The standing orders of the Parliamentary Party, however, apply to me, apply to every other Member of the Parliamentary Labour Party and they put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/the-standing-orders-of-the-parliamentary-party-however-apply-to-me/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [It's about getting a more democratic Wales for the purpose of improving our economic performance, for improving the delivery of health care, for raising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/it-s-about-getting-a-more-democratic-wales-for-the-purpose-of/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

> [Well I've already made it clear that it's a matter for individuals in exercising their own judgement, their own consciences to speak freely on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/well-i-ve-already-made-it-clear-that-it-s-a-matter-for-individuals-in/)

[Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

[Explore all 13 Ron Davies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/)

## More Cannot quotes

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/)

[Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/)

> [The book is not simply the object that one holds in one's hands, and it cannot remain within the little parallelpiped that contains it:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-foucault/the-book-is-not-simply-the-object-that-one-holds-in-one-s-hands-and/)

[Michel Foucault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-foucault/)

> [Nothing is more private than a woman's body; it is her physical, emotional, and moral citadel. She cannot be free at all if she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/nothing-is-more-private-than-a-woman-s-body-it-is-her-physical/)

[Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/)

> [Visaaranai' reflects a stark reality from which you cannot shut yourself out: that is its success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vetrimaaran/visaaranai-reflects-a-stark-reality-from-which-you-cannot-shut/)

[Vetrimaaran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vetrimaaran/)

> [When you put more than a million kids in school, you take a plane today and go to Haiti, you cannot see the results.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-martelly/when-you-put-more-than-a-million-kids-in-school-you-take-a-plane/)

[Michel Martelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-martelly/)

> [We cannot stop anyone from criticising us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/we-cannot-stop-anyone-from-criticising-us/)

[Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/)

> [Once you publish a book, it is out of your control. You cannot dictate how people read it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/once-you-publish-a-book-it-is-out-of-your-control-you-cannot-dictate/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [The Brazilians are amazing in their nature. You cannot describe it; you must feel that warmth when you're around them to understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrikh-mkhitaryan/the-brazilians-are-amazing-in-their-nature-you-cannot-describe-it-you/)

[Henrikh Mkhitaryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrikh-mkhitaryan/)

> [The two things you cannot do effectively on stage are pray and copulate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/the-two-things-you-cannot-do-effectively-on-stage-are-pray-and/)

[Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/)

> [Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/liberty-does-not-exist-where-rights-are-on-one-side-and-power-on-the/)

[Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/)

> [The reason I fight is to provide for my family, and I cannot risk having that taken away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whittaker/the-reason-i-fight-is-to-provide-for-my-family-and-i-cannot-risk/)

[Robert Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whittaker/)

> [We cannot have players who don't give their soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/we-cannot-have-players-who-don-t-give-their-soul/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [I cannot do confrontation. You know that fight or flight thing? I'm flight. I just don't want the argument.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-saunders/i-cannot-do-confrontation-you-know-that-fight-or-flight-thing-i-m/)

[Jennifer Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-saunders/)

> [Rahul Gandhi cannot be a prime minister because he is a citizen of Britain, and his Indian citizenship will be cancelled; he won't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/rahul-gandhi-cannot-be-a-prime-minister-because-he-is-a-citizen-of/)

[Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/)

Browse all 2,691 Cannot quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Well it's not a matter for me to say what Llew Smith can or cannot do, he's an elected Member of Parliament.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ron Davies"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/well-it-s-not-a-matter-for-me-to-say-what-llew-smith-can-or-cannot-do/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Cannot"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/well-it-s-not-a-matter-for-me-to-say-what-llew-smith-can-or-cannot-do/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/ron-davies-35853_cannot_well-it-s-not-a-matter-for-me-to-say-wha_1047134.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/ron-davies-35853_cannot_well-it-s-not-a-matter-for-me-to-say-wha_1047134.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/509/ron-davies-35853_cannot_well-it-s-not-a-matter-for-me-to-say-wha_1047134.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Well it's not a matter for me to say what Llew Smith can or cannot do, he's an elected Member of Parliament.” — Ron Davies",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ron Davies",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Well it's not a matter for...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/well-it-s-not-a-matter-for-me-to-say-what-llew-smith-can-or-cannot-do/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/well-it-s-not-a-matter-for-me-to-say-what-llew-smith-can-or-cannot-do/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
