The controversies of Natalie Elphicke, the MP who has defected to Labour

Natalie Elphicke recently became the latest member of the Labour Party, surprising many by leaving the Conservative Party. Throughout her political career, she has shown a strong alignment with the right-wing of British politics.

Having expertise in housing policy, she took over the role of Member of Parliament for Dover from her ex-husband, Charlie Elphicke, who was previously a member of the Conservative Party but was caught and punished for committing sexual assault in the year 2020.

There are doubts about how she became the representative for his position. She claimed that she was chosen by everyone to compete for his position before the 2019 elections. However, it was later discovered that only Elphicke had been nominated by the Conservative association in the area.

Nonetheless, the remarks she made on subjects, including migration and Marcus Rashford's activism against poverty, have caused resentment among the very people who will now be joining forces with her in the opposition sector.

MP Gets Suspended From Commons

Elphicke, alongside some other Conservative Members of Parliament, received a temporary suspension from the House of Commons and were required to issue an apology. This was due to their attempt to sway the judgement of a judge who was overseeing the trial of her former partner, Charlie Elphicke, who received a two-year prison sentence in September 2020.

Last November 2020, Members of Parliament used the approved Commons stationery to pen a letter to high-ranking judges. This happened prior to a hearing that would determine the release of pre-sentencing character references for someone.

When they wrote a letter to voice their worries about the hearing, they got a reply the next day from the office of the chief justice of England and Wales who stated that the involvement was inappropriate. Afterward, the Commons standards committee reprimanded them.

Survivors' Claims Attitude

Immediately after the Tories suspended Elphicke due to several allegations made against him by women, his former wife, Elphicke, took a quick and active stance to defend him.

She expressed concern about the way the whip was withdrawn from the accused, citing it as a danger to the principles upheld by the British. She further drew parallels between his predicament and that of Carl Sargeant, a member of the Welsh parliament who sadly committed suicide after being informed that there were unspecified allegations against him regarding his conduct.

Although Charlie Elphicke was found guilty and their marriage has come to an end, his former wife continues to defend him and supports his appeal. In her article for the Sun, she describes Charlie as charming, wealthy, and successful. She acknowledges that he is attractive to women and states that he is attracted to them.

She further stated that the present circumstances have made him a vulnerable victim of unfair political tactics and wrongful accusations.

Assault On Marcus Rashford

Elphicke has issued an apology after receiving backlash for her comment regarding Rashford's decision to engage in political activism instead of focusing on enhancing his football skills. Rashford missed a significant penalty during the Euro 2020 final, which resulted in him and some of his teammates experiencing a wave of online harassment. Following the match, Elphicke privately messaged her colleagues, advising Rashford to concentrate on his professional duties rather than demanding government intervention to address issues pertaining to free school meals and child food poverty.

In her words: "They were defeated - is it rude to suggest that Rashford should have dedicated more time to improving his skills and less time engaging in political affairs."

Following her criticism of Rashford, it was revealed that Elphicke was receiving a yearly sum of £36,000 as the chairperson of the New Homes Quality Board. This was on top of her parliamentary salary of £82,000.

In the list of interests held by members, it was indicated that she served on the board, which was responsible for leading an initiative aimed at promoting a fresh standard code for housebuilding. This initiative also had a plan for creating a separate ombudsman for new homes. According to her entry, this occupation required approximately eight hours of her time per week and earned her a monthly salary of £3,000.

During the given time, Angela Rayner, the Deputy Head of the Labour Party, expressed that Boris Johnson, who was then the leader of the Conservative Party, had to make a choice. He needed to determine whether his MPs were honestly representing the people they serve or if they were simply acting as consultants and advisors for private entities that financially compensated them.

Just a year ago, Elphicke penned her thoughts in an editorial for the Daily Express with the title: "Can't Rely on Labour on Immigration - They Insist on Open Borders". She also took a shot at Keir Starmer, referring to him as "Sir Softie".

Elphicke was also one of the Conservative Party members who caused trouble for Rishi Sunak while he was working to pass his bill on deportations to Rwanda. At one stage, she joined a group of rebels who backed an alteration proposed by ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick.

In August 2020, Elphicke faced backlash due to her choice of words in a video message she posted on Twitter. This message was shared after eight migrants arrived on the shores of Kent. Elphicke expressed her disapproval and commented: "This is not acceptable that individuals are entering Britain by breaking the law." Andrew Powell, a barrister specializing in immigration and family law, criticized her choice of words as they were deemed inhumane and disrespectful.

Critics directed their anger towards her when she decided to demand a halt to the small boat journeys across the Channel on Christmas Day of 2021.

Elphicke's stance in the House of Commons has clearly aligned her with the conservative party's right wing, to a degree beyond some of her fellow Tories.

She has continuously supported measures to facilitate the cancellation of an individual's British citizenship and has nearly always shown support for stricter regulations and implementation of immigration policies.

Regarding environmental matters, she disagreed with the Labour party. Just last month, she voted against a test on climate change for new oil and gas licenses. She also agreed with her Conservative counterparts to align air quality objectives with the recommendations from the World Health Organization.

In previous polls, she has supported stricter rules governing the actions of labor organizations.