Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke defects to Labour citing border security

The Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Dover, who belongs to the Conservative Party, has made a sudden switch to the Labour Party. She affirmed that her previous political party has now become renowned for their inability to function efficiently and is recognized for the disagreements among party members.

On Wednesday, just before the prime minister's questions, Natalie Elphicke made headlines by joining a different political party. As a result, she became the second Conservative Member of Parliament to do so in the last two weeks. This development was a significant setback for Rishi Sunak.

The recent action of Elphicke caused a stir in Westminster and was not well-received by certain Labour MPs due to her extreme right-wing stance. She stated that the United Kingdom must steer away from the disorganized and exhausted government led by Sunak. Elphicke went on to criticize the prime minister, expressing that he had not done enough to ensure the security of the country's borders.

In a statement, she expressed that the government led by Rishi Sunak is not effectively maintaining safety and security at our borders. Due to this, many lives are being lost in the English Channel and there is a rise in small boat arrivals to an alarming extent. It is evident that they have not delivered in keeping our borders safe and as a result, their reliability is questionable.

During PMQs, Keir Starmer greeted Sunak and invited her to join the Labour Party. He questioned the purpose of the current government continuing to struggle when even a Tory MP from Dover, who is at the forefront of the small boats problem, has doubts about the prime minister's ability to handle our borders.

It is not certain when Sunak became aware of the defection. Penny Mordaunt, the Commons leader, appeared surprised and hurried over to speak with him after recognizing Elphicke behind Starmer on the Labour benches.

According to a person from the Labour Party, Elphicke will not be running in the upcoming election. It was also clarified that she was not given a job position or a peerage, but could still provide counsel to the party on topics regarding the housing policy. It has been acknowledged that Elphicke had met Starmer once prior to switching parties.

The representative for Starmer stood up for the decision, even though Elphicke's acceptance into the Labour party may create strife due to her past opinions and behavior.

"We have made significant progress, and it's evident that people have acknowledged the failures of the Tories in addressing some of the crucial issues facing our country," he expressed. "The fact that someone is ready to change their political allegiance and support Keir Starmer's renewed Labour party is a positive sign, and we're pleased to witness it."

Elphicke took over the position of the Member of Parliament for Dover from her former spouse, Charlie Elphicke, in 2019. Charlie was removed from the Conservative party due to allegations of sexual assault, and was later found guilty after two years.

Following his guilty verdict, his former spouse spoke out in a Sun interview and supported him by stating that he was "appealing and fascinated by women" which ultimately made him "vulnerable to ruthless politics and baseless accusations".

Elphicke, alongside other Conservative Members of Parliament, received a suspension from the Commons after being discovered attempting to persuade a judge overseeing his trial. As a result, they were instructed to offer an apology.

The things she has stated about migration have generated a lot of debate among people. Around twelve months ago, she wrote a piece for the Daily Express where she referred to Starmer as “Sir Softie” and charged the Labour party of advocating for “unrestricted borders”. She expressed that “Labour doesn't possess a strategy to manage undocumented immigration and furthermore, they are not interested in finding one”.

In addition, she had a disagreement with Marcus Rashford, a professional football player from England. She believed that instead of participating in politics like his initiative for free school meals, he should have focused on refining his game. This was in reference to his penalty miss during the Euro 2020 final.

MPs were furious about the defection. One shadow minister who usually supports Starmer expressed concern, stating: "From a logical or political perspective, this was unnecessary... I'm worried that they may not have properly assessed her."

They also mentioned: "Her extremely conservative perspectives are unacceptable. Should we invite Nigel Farage over here as well?"

A Labour Member of Parliament expressed that a considerable number of women in the party are feeling upset. The majority of us who are not in leadership positions find it difficult to communicate with the Labour Leader or his team. Maybe if we were to participate in more events with flags or join the European Research Group, we could get their attention.

A member of Parliament belonging to the left wing of the party stated that there are countless others who share their opinion that what happened is appalling. They believe that there is no place for individuals like her in the Labour party, and that the individual in question is extremely unpleasant. The MP then questioned the motives of those who believed that the incident was beneficial.

The representative of Sunak mentioned that Elphicke's move to another group was unexpected for her voters. This is because they are greatly affected by the problem of unauthorized immigration, and Elphicke had been actively expressing her views on social media, stating that Labour had no definite strategy to address the issue.

Elphicke made a declaration saying, "During my election in 2019, the Conservative party held the central position in British politics. The party's focus was on creating a better future and taking advantage of the chances available for our nation."

From that time onwards, numerous alterations have taken place. The chosen leader of the government was forcibly removed from power by an un-elected individual known as Rishi Sunak. Since Rishi Sunak took over, the Conservatives have gained a reputation for being inefficient and causing discord. They have left behind the middle ground and reneged on important commitments from their 2019 manifesto.

At present, the Labour political party has undergone significant transformations. It has diverged considerably from its state in 2019, where it was led by Jeremy Corbyn. Following the leadership of Keir Starmer, the party has shifted into the central area of British politics.

In the last fortnight, another Tory politician has switched sides in Parliament. Elphicke has become the second MP to do so recently. Back on 27th April, a former health minister named Dan Poulter also defected from the Conservative party over to Labour. Poulter was particularly unhappy with the government's handling of the NHS.

Christian Wakeford, the MP for Bury South, switched sides during Boris Johnson's tenure as leader in January 2022.