‘I understand why she moved’: Dover voters on Natalie Elphicke switching parties

Politics centered around party affiliations can often lead to tribalism, but in Dover, a majority of individuals believe that their Member of Parliament has gained their allegiance by way of her contributions to the community, regardless of whether she identifies as a Conservative or a Labour party member.

Natalie Elphicke, who represents Dover and Deal in Parliament, has left the Tory party and joined another group. She is the second Conservative MP to do this in the past two weeks. Elphicke has done this in response to what she sees as incompetence and conflict within the government of Rishi Sunak. She made her move just before the prime minister's questions were due to begin on Wednesday.

The information about their MP's defection circulated rapidly in Dover. The majority of people who spoke to the Guardian were already informed about it. People from different political views expressed their astonishment about the decision, but many had a favorable view towards Elphicke. They see him as an essential person in the community.

Mae Montenegro is 50 years old and stated that she will cast her vote for Elphicke regardless of which political party she is affiliated with. Mae values Elphicke because she is an engaged member of the community and even takes part in local events such as the anniversary celebration for the priest at St Paul’s church. Mae strongly believes that the best representative for the community is someone who prioritizes their needs over party politics.

Robert Hewer, who is 74 years old, had previously cast his vote for Elphicke and would do so again. He agrees with her tough stance on immigration because he feels that "immigration is gradually destroying our cultural values."

He mentioned that she is someone who enjoys being around other people and is very supportive of the local community. She strongly opposes unregulated immigration, which is a significant concern not just in Dover but across the United Kingdom. I comprehend why she decided to switch parties because she feels that the Conservative Party has failed to deliver on their commitments. She is sending a message that she won't stand for being let down.

Hewer used to work as a miner and grew up with a tradition of voting for the Labour Party. However, he changed his allegiance to the Conservative Party 10 years ago, in support of Brexit. While he may consider voting for Labour again in the future, Hewer thinks that Keir Starmer is too focused on being politically correct.

He wasn't discouraged from voting for Elphicke again despite this. He stated, "I intend to vote for her because I am familiar with her. It's better to stick with the devil you know."

Alwyn Conway, who is 80 years old, acknowledged that Elphicke had accomplished positive changes in the region and had the same concerns as Hewer regarding a Labour administration. Conway admitted it was a difficult decision, comparing it to a proverbial rock and a hard place. Nevertheless, he feels more confident with the Conservatives because their policies are familiar, although it may not be perfect.

However, Conway expressed that he is considering casting his vote for Elphicke in the upcoming general election. He stated that if Natalie (presumably another candidate) now supports putting a stop to the arrival of boats, he may be inclined to vote for her. In general, Conway votes based on the qualities and actions of individual candidates rather than their political party.

Carol Conway, aged 79 and the wife of the individual mentioned, expressed her dissatisfaction with the Labour party potentially leading the country, citing that she believes the country has declined if they were to take control. Conway also stated her shock at the potential outcome.

Throughout the majority of their lives, the Conways supported the Labour party but had a change of heart and became supporters of the Conservative party. Even though they are not pleased with the current government, Carol is anxious that Labour's immigration laws would not be as strict. She is uncertain about politics overall and believes that politicians are more concerned with their personal interests rather than what's best for the public.

Frances Trewartha, who is 39 years old, was informed by her mother about the news. She expressed her surprise and said that it was a huge transition. She had no prior knowledge about the possibility of such a move. Frances also wondered about the reasons behind this decision.

She is someone who supports the Labour party and shares that many individuals she knows in Dover also do. However, she is not fond of the negative and confrontational political climate that has developed recently. She finds that Labour supporters and politicians are being overly hostile towards the Tory party, which makes her uncomfortable. Ultimately, she would prefer not to vote if this is the case.

She believed that immigration and securing the border were crucial matters for Elphicke, particularly in the region where small boats dock. Her mom, who resides in the adjacent town of Kingsdown, was instructed by the police to keep her doors locked when the border force was inspecting for asylum seekers, which goes to show the sensitivity of the situation.

However, she went on to say: “I don't roam around Dover feeling scared of refugees or people seeking asylum."