Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to accept the defection of Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke into Labour has surprised and outraged many of his colleagues. The move, announced just minutes before Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, has left some Labour MPs feeling upset, let down, and shocked. While some senior sources regard it as “one hell of a coup”, there are also suggestions that Labour’s whips were worried about accepting her.
Ms Elphicke’s defection to Labour has prompted reaction ranging from delight to anger among her new colleagues. Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield said that Labour MPs were “baffled” by her “really peculiar” move to swap sides. Several Labour party sources stated that many MPs, including Ms Duffield, are uncomfortable with remarks Ms Elphicke made about her then-husband Charlie Elphicke whom she replaced as Dover MP in 2019. In an interview with The Sun after his conviction in 2020 for sexual assault, she was reported to have said that his being “attractive” and “attracted to women” made him an “easy target”, an observation that many found troubling.
Moreover, the MP had previously criticised Labour policy in several areas, accusing the party of “grabbing more in taxes” and not being “serious” about stopping small boat crossings. Nonetheless, Sir Keir said he was “delighted” with her defection, telling reporters it showed his party was “the party of the national interest”. However, Labour MP Sarah Champion said “some of the things Mrs Elphicke had said defending her ex-husband from the sexual abuse allegations” had not “sat well with me at all”. Nonetheless, Keir Starmer will hope to keep the focus on the bigger picture, as he continues his wider project of tempting former Conservative voters to switch to Labour.
Ms Elphicke’s defection to Labour follows that of Dr Dan Poulter last month, marking the second defection to Labour for Rishi Sunak in less than two weeks. Many are expressing surprise at the MP’s changeover, including Conservative MPs who have called it “shameless” and “outrageous
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