Natalie Elphicke: Starmer faces anger after Tory MP's defection
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Some of Sir Keir Starmer's fellow Labour MPs were puzzled by his choice to allow Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke into their party.
The unexpected departure of the Member of Parliament for Dover from the Conservative party has sparked various responses from her new fellow politicians, with individuals expressing a mixture of happiness and frustration.
Rosie Duffield, an MP from Canterbury, expressed that her decision to switch sides has left her Labour colleagues confused and perplexed. She added that they found her actions to be quite unusual.
However, a prominent member of the party praised her decision as a remarkable achievement.
Sir Keir expressed his joy at her departure, stating that it revealed his party's commitment to the country's benefit, as relayed to the press.
Multiple sources indicated that the Labour Party whips, in charge of enforcing party rules, expressed concerns about endorsing her, but the Labour Party denied these claims.
Rishi Sunak has switched his political allegiance to the Labour party, marking his second defection in under two weeks. Dr Dan Poulter also left the Conservative party in the previous month.
Usually, when a Member of Parliament switches political parties, the majority of their new associates are pleased.
Nonetheless, the most recent abandonment disclosed just moments before the Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday has resulted in certain Labour MPs feeling distressed, betrayed, and surprised.
Ms Elphicke made a harsh comment, stating that the Conservative party has become known for being ineffective and having internal conflicts.
Whilst Ms Duffield has openly shared her reaction towards the defection, there are a significant number of individuals who are expressing their thoughts privately.
While Ms Elphicke shares similar views on housing with her new teammates, she has previously criticized Labour's policies on multiple issues.
She has expressed her disapproval towards the political party for increasing tax rates and failing to take sufficient measures to curb the problem of small boat crossings, a major concern in her Dover constituency.
In addition to her political views, numerous members of the Labour party are profoundly uneasy with the comments she made regarding her former spouse Charlie Elphicke, whom she succeeded as the representative for Dover in 2019.
The Sun reported that after being found guilty of sexual assault in 2020, the individual stated in an interview that their physical appearance and attraction to women made them vulnerable to being targeted by others.
Observing: Natalie Elphicke occupies position on Labour side Natalie Elphicke, former Conservative Party member, has taken a seat on the Labour benches in Parliament. This move has surprised many, as it is uncommon for a politician to switch parties. However, Elphicke cited her disagreement with Conservative Party policies as the reason for her switching to Labour. She also stated that she believes Labour's vision aligns more closely with her own values. Elphicke's decision has sparked discussion amongst political commentators, with some suggesting that it could be a sign of changing political winds.
She hasn't given her thoughts or opinions on those past comments since she left on Wednesday.
According to the Labour party, those concerns have already been addressed in past discussions held within the Parliament and openly discussed with the public.
During an interview with BBC Radio Sheffield last Wednesday, Sarah Champion, a member of the Labour Party, expressed her discomfort with certain statements made by Mrs. Elphicke in defense of her former spouse against accusations of sexual abuse.
She also mentioned that having ex-Conservative Members of Parliament in their party during the upcoming general election would pose a considerable "challenge".
She expressed that their policies and beliefs are very different from hers, however, she recognizes the current situation we are in.
She mentioned that there's a bit of a problem because Ms. Elphicke and Dan Poulter have announced their intention to leave Parliament during the upcoming election, and this is causing some confusion since Labour has already chosen candidates for their seats.
Ms. Elphicke's departure from the Conservative party has caught some fellow MPs off guard. Transport Minister Huw Merriman referred to her as "shameless" and an "opportunist".
"I feel let down by the actions of the politician," he included.
During an interview with BBC South East, Ms Duffield, a Kent MP, stated that members of the Labour Party's backbench were "extremely puzzled" by the recent defection.
In my opinion, the decision is quite unusual and many Labour backbenchers as well as some Tories are quite perplexed by it.
She stated that she did not think that she had abruptly become a Labour MP.
Mick Whitley, a member of the Labour party who also serves as a backbencher, criticized the actions of Ms. Elphicke, stating that they were "outrageous." Furthermore, Whitley stated that Ms. Elphicke did not align with the beliefs and principles of the Labour party.
Mish Rahman, who is part of Labour's National Executive Committee, expressed his disapproval of Ms Elphicke's decision to switch parties. He believes that the party is becoming more corrupt as a result.
In an interview with BBC Radio 4's The World Tonight, Mr Rahman expressed that during Ms Elphicke's tenure as an MP, she has never held a moderate stance.
He called the Conservative Party a failing boat and explained how Ms Elphicke is currently navigating the waters in an attempt to break free from it.
He expressed that it is the responsibility of the Labour Party to transform the nation, rather than focus on preserving the political careers of Conservative politicians who have been dismissed by the citizens due to their contributions to the nation's deterioration.
He stated that she is not suitable to belong to the Labour party, and even less qualified to serve as a Member of Parliament.
John McDonnell, who previously held the position of shadow chancellor during the leadership era of Jeremy Corbyn in the Labour Party, conveyed his unexpected feelings of astonishment and disbelief towards her decision.
He shared with LBC that he strongly believes in the abilities of transformation, however, he believes that even this particular one would have been difficult for John the Baptist to accept with an open heart.
Sir Keir will aim to shift attention towards the overall goal by claiming that Conservative politicians joining Labour represents his broader plan of luring past Tory supporters to switch sides.
A highly-ranking official from the Labour party states that this is the most important aspect.
"At last, we managed to hire the Conservative Member of Parliament for Dover, without a doubt. Right in the middle of a controversy over illegal boat crossings. This is a great achievement."
