[Politics] Natalie Elphic defects to labour

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Immediately thought of this saga, horrified to see she's been welcomed to the party.

Indeed. As I note elsewhere, a considerable statement of mea culpa should be incoming from herself, or I may find one of my eyebrows permanently elevated. And nobody wants that

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Could the last Tory MP to defect to Labour to try and save their skin and their salary at the upcoming election please turn the lights off

 

[Simster]

Done purely to keep her seat, status, salary and future pension.

Assuming Labour keep her in that seat?

If she was in my constituency, I wouldn't vote for her.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Don't know why she kept her married name after the divorce.

But when the MP for Dover defects to the opposition that's a pretty strong message.

Both my ex wives kept their married names after the divorces, and in both cases they were the petitioner.

People are a rum lot.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Being pretty politically unaware, how do these things work? Once she announces she's leaving, does the other party have to accept her? Or does she issue a 'come and get me plea' to all interested parties?

It strikes me that she's not doing it for the good of her own constituents, more to save her own skin when the Conservatives get a pasting at the next GE. Surely Labour would have one of their own in place, not a Tory reject?

Labour have named a candidate for the constituency and I can't find any record of her announcing she's intending to stand down.

Hmm.

 

[pigmanovich]

Indeed. As I note elsewhere, a considerable statement of mea culpa should be incoming from herself, or I may find one of my eyebrows permanently elevated. And nobody wants that

It's bad enough to admit former Tories who demonized migrants, why are Labour accepting the sleazy ones? Especially ahead of a general election which will have been shaped by about five straight years of ethics scandals for the Conservatives?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

It's bad enough to admit former Tories who demonized migrants, why are Labour accepting the sleazy ones? Especially ahead of a general election which will have been shaped by about five straight years of ethics scandals for the Conservatives?

Indeed. So I await the statement from Mrs Perve with baited breath.

I am always in favour of contrition, people admitting their mistakes, or simply their change of perspective, and so on.

However, we do need to see this statement, and it needs to be credible. If not, this will be the first time I have had pause to think about whether pragmatism is enough, and whether backing labour is something I can maintain. I have resigned from the party one before.

 

[Pinkie Brown]

If true absolutely not. Hideous individual who was only in parliament due to her convicted sex pest tory MP husband ending up in the clink - now ex. Had she defected to Reform then I'd be totally unsurprised. This is nothing for Starmer to boast about.

 

[pigmanovich]

Indeed. So I await the statement from Mrs Perve with baited breath.

I am always in favour of contrition, people admitting their mistakes, or simply their change of perspective, and so on.

However, we do need to see this statement, and it needs to be credible. If not, this will be the first time I have had pause to think about whether pragmatism is enough, and whether backing labour is something I can maintain. I have resigned from the party one before.

It's also inexplicable because it's so unnecessary -- Labour are not in a desperate position electorally so why settle for these lot?

 

[hart's shirt]

"Shame on you...shame on you..."

Regardless of political leaning, if people are chanting this directly at you, it's probably best not to join in.

 

[A1X]

Labour have named a candidate for the constituency and I can't find any record of her announcing she's intending to stand down.

Hmm.

This appears to basically be another Johnsonite sticking the knife into Sunak (who they mostly blame for bringing about his glorious downfall)

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

My guess is she will stand down at the next election. Let's see....

 

[hart's shirt]

Defections are head spinning for Westminster​

Chris Mason
Political editor

Another one. Another defection. Another Conservative MP giving up on the Conservatives and crossing the floor to Labour.
Defections don’t happen very often. Or at least they don’t in normal times.
But barely days after Dan Poulter, a former Tory minister, switched to Labour, now Natalie Elphicke has too.
Little wonder there was chat beforehand that Sir Keir Starmer wanted to talk about small boat crossings.
Natalie Elphicke is the MP for Dover.

Defections are head spinning for Westminster — such a tribal place.
They are a morale lifting fillip for the party of the new arrival, and debilitating for the party they have departed, particularly when it from the governing party to the main opposition party. Why?
They personify very starkly what an opposition party is seeking to do on a far wider scale — tempt people who recently backed the Conservatives to switch to backing Labour.
And the party political words of the defecting MP have an additional capacity to wound given their previous political home.
"Under Rishi Sunak, the Conservatives have become a byword for incompetence and division."
It is the sort of thing you wouldn’t be surprised to hear from a career Labour MP. But these are the words of someone who was a Conservative MP a matter of hours ago.

Labour will retain their existing candidate in Dover and Deal at the general election and Natalie Elphicke will stand down, we’re told.
But Keir Starmer will delight in the pictures of him welcoming Natalie Elphicke to his side of the House of Commons.
And expect to see the two of them together shortly doing the handshakes, warm words and broad smiles for the cameras.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-68975761

 

[Dibdab]

Considering that Labour are now just a new shade of Tory, of course Conservative MPs want to join them.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

She has announced she will be standing down at the GE. So simply a massive gesture and not a career move. Wow.

OK, that's all now fine with me. My 'resignation from the party' letter has gone in the bin.

Wow. What a blow for the tories. No wonder Sunk was dumbstruck.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Considering that Labour are now just a new shade of Tory, of course Conservative MPs want to join them.

Do you think that is a good or bad thing?

 

[A1X]

She has announced she will be standing down at the GE. So simply a massive gesture and not a career move. Wow.

OK, that's all now fine with me. My 'resignation from the party' letter has gone in the bin.

Wow. What a blow for the tories. No wonder Sunk was dumbstruck.

Incredible they kept it quiet TBH

 

[hart's shirt]

My 'resignation from the party' letter has gone in the bin.

Wow. What a blow for the tories.

It's not that bad, H.

They probably weren't expecting your letter.

 

[WATFORD zero]

She has announced she will be standing down at the GE. So simply a massive gesture and not a career move. Wow.

OK, that's all now fine with me. My 'resignation from the party' letter has gone in the bin.

Wow. What a blow for the tories. No wonder Sunk was dumbstruck.

So it was just a f*** you Sunak after all, nothing more

It does make you wonder who could be next though, Patel, Truss, @JC Footy Genius or @Is it PotG? Not that you would know if the latter defected to Labour

 

[Is it PotG?]

Leaves one centrist party for another (faux) centrist, all the same mish-mash.
I still feel Starmer will show his true colours once in the seat, and the hardcore boys and girls come on out of the woodwork.