Natalie Elphicke, the MP for Dover who recently defected to the Labour Party, has issued an apology for comments she made in support of her ex-husband Charlie Elphicke after he was convicted of sexual assault. Charlie Elphicke, who was the MP for Dover prior to Natalie, was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women in 2020 and was jailed for two years. Some Labour MPs had raised concerns about Natalie’s previous comments, in which she suggested that her ex-husband was an “easy target” for false allegations because he was “attractive”.
In a statement, Natalie said that she knew her defection would “put a spotlight on the prosecution of my ex-husband”. She went on to say that the period from 2017-2020 had been “incredibly stressful and difficult” for her as she learned more about the person she thought she knew. Natalie said that she had previously and did condemn her ex-husband’s behaviour towards other women and towards her. She acknowledged that it was right that he was prosecuted and that she was sorry for her comments about his victims.
Speaking to the BBC, Natalie said that she wanted to apologise directly to Charlie Elphicke’s victims and that tackling violence against women and girls was “a critical mission for the Labour Party”. She also stated that she was looking forward to working alongside her fellow Labour MPs to tackle the issue.
Natalie Elphicke announced her defection to the Labour Party last week, citing dissatisfaction with the Conservative Party’s record on housing and border security. Some Labour MPs expressed concern that her political views did not align with the party, and her previous comments about her ex-husband prompted criticism. However, Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds said that Natalie was a “good, natural fit” for the party
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