Tory MP Natalie Elphicke defects to Labour Social gathering | Politics Information

Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke has defected to the Labour Social gathering.

The Dover MP, who campaigned for Brexit, stated the change within the Tory get together since she entered parliament in 2019 “has been dramatic and can’t be ignored”.

She hit out on the “damaged guarantees of Rishi Sunak’s drained and chaotic authorities”, including that Labour “appears to be like to the longer term – to constructing a Britain of hope, optimism, alternative and equity”.

Mrs Elphicke is the second Tory MP to maneuver to the Labour Social gathering in 11 days after former minister Dan Poulter defected to the opposition.

Half-time NHS physician Dr Poulter stated he might now not look his NHS colleagues and sufferers within the eye and stay a Conservative.

Mrs Elphicke “crossed the ground” to the Labour benches moments earlier than Prime Minister’s Questions began on Wednesday at noon, with Tory MPs seen pointing at her.

She beforehand introduced she wouldn’t be standing within the subsequent common election, and campaigned for Liz Truss to turn into PM in 2022.

Sir Keir welcomed Mrs Elphicke to the get together in his opening remarks at PMQs.

In an announcement saying her determination, she stated the important thing deciding components for switching have been “housing and the security and safety of our borders”.

She stated the Conservative Social gathering in 2019 “occupied the centre floor of British politics” and was about “constructing the longer term and taking advantage of the alternatives that lay forward for our nation”.

“Since then, many issues have modified,” she added.

“The elected prime minister was ousted in a coup led by the unelected Rishi Sunak.

“Underneath Rishi Sunak, the Conservatives have turn into a byword for incompetence and division.

“The centre floor has been deserted and key pledges of the 2019 manifesto have been ditched.”

She stated the Labour Social gathering has additionally “modified out of all recognition” since then, transferring on from Jeremy Corbyn and “beneath Keir Starmer, occupies the centre floor of British politics”.

“It has accepted Brexit and its financial insurance policies and defence insurance policies are accountable and might be trusted,” she stated.

Mrs Elphicke has beforehand been extremely vital of Sir Keir, hitting out at him for “ignoring the small boats disaster” in January 2023.

In April final yr she wrote an article saying voters shouldn’t belief Labour on immigration – one of many key components she stated she was defecting for.

The arrival of asylum seekers in small boats is a serious challenge in her constituency, with most stepping onto British soil in Dover.

Mrs Elphicke received her seat with 56.9% of the vote after deciding to face in Dover following her now ex-husband, Charlie Elphicke, being suspended from the Conservative Social gathering and never standing for re-election when he was charged with three counts of sexual assault towards two girls.

He was discovered responsible of all counts and sentenced to 2 years in jail.