[Abernathy]

Blimey. Natalie Elphicke, the Tory MP for Dover, has now crossed the floor.

Here is the statement from Natalie Elphicke announcing why she is defecting from the Conservatives to Labour.

Today I announce that I have decided to join the Labour Party and that I will sit in Parliament as a Labour MP.
When I was elected in 2019, the Conservative Party occupied the centre ground of British politics. The party was about building the future and making the most of the opportunities that lay ahead for our country.
Since then, many things have changed. The elected Prime Minister was ousted in a coup led by the unelected Rishi Sunak. Under Rishi Sunak, the Conservatives have become a byword for incompetence and division. The centre ground has been abandoned and key pledges of the 2019 manifesto have been ditched.
Meanwhile the Labour Party has changed out of all recognition. Since 2019, it has moved on from Jeremy Corbyn and now, under Keir Starmer, occupies the centre ground of British politics. It has accepted Brexit and its economic policies and defence policies are responsible and can be trusted.
Most significantly for me, the modern Labour Party looks to the future – to building a Britain of hope, optimism, opportunity and fairness. A Britain everyone can be part of.
I have carefully considered this decision. The change has been dramatic and cannot be ignored. For me key deciding factors have been housing and the safety and security of our borders.
From small boats to biosecurity, Rishi Sunak’s government is failing to keep our borders safe and secure. Lives are being lost in the English Channel while small boat arrivals are once again at record levels. It’s clear they have failed to keep our borders secure and cannot be trusted.
On housing, Rishi Sunak’s Government is now failing to build the homes we need. Last year saw the largest fall of new housing starts in England in a single year since the credit crunch. The manifesto committed to 300,000 homes next year – but only around half that number are now set to be built. Renters and leaseholders have been betrayed as manifesto pledges to end no fault evictions and abolish ground rents have not been delivered as promised.
The last couple of years have also seen a huge rise in homelessness, in temporary accommodation and rough sleeping - with record numbers of children now in temporary accommodation, without a secure roof over their head.
Meanwhile Labour plan to build the homes we need, help young people onto the housing ladder and care about the vulnerable and homeless. That’s why I’m honoured to have been asked to work with Keir and the team to help deliver the homes we need.
We need to move on from the broken promises of Rishi Sunak’s tired and chaotic Government. Britain needs a Government that will build a future of hope, optimism, opportunity and fairness. A Britain everyone can be part of, that will make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead. That’s why it’s time for change. Time for a Labour Government led by Keir Starmer. The General Election cannot come soon enough.

[Yug]

Does anyone here actually believe the Tories held the centre ground in British politics in 2019?

Thought not.

I haven't read the whole thing yet. I got stuck on that patiently false and quite bizarre statement in the first sentence.

Edit:

I can't read it. It's such a load of bollocks. The Tories became a byword for division and incompetence under Sunak? What rock was she hiding under before that?

While it's great to see the Tories lose another MP, she'll have to be carefully managed if she's going to be an asset to Labour.

[Watchman]

I was very surprised, as her constituency is a the forefront of the small boats issue, and she hasn’t been shy in her views in the past

[Tubby Isaacs]

I suppose Bozo's appeal in 2019- care package, new hospitals, no tax cuts, levelling up- did have some appeal to the centre ground. Trouble is it was all lies.

I think she's certainly close to the bounds of acceptability, to say the least, but she doesn't seem to have got anything in return. I wonder if there could be more coming in the next few weeks.

[Andy McDandy]

My abiding memory of her was watching her confront a demo demanding her resignation over (IIRC) P&O sacking much of their workforce in a particularly shitty way.

She joined the protesters shouting "Out, out out!".

[Youngian]

Elphicke‘s an ERG windbag, why didn’t she defect to Reform? Perhaps she so pissed off, a scalp to Starmer maximizes the damage to Sunak. Centre ground, my arse.

When did a Labour MP last cross the floor to join the Conservative Party ranks?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Might be Reg Prentice.

[Andy McDandy]

She's a career politician who needs the seat for income. Better odds hanging on as a Labour MP.

[Tubby Isaacs]

She’s not running in the General Election.

[Andy McDandy]

Thanks - wasn't aware.

[satnav]

I think this defection is extremely damaging to Sunak because Dover is the main constituency affected by immigrants crossing the channel. If the MP for Dover isn't convinced by Sunak's attempts to stop the small boats then he is in real trouble.

[Crabcakes]

Given she’s not standing, this does seem to be a strike at Sunak more than anything else. I wonder if she’s the first of a planned string of short-term ‘protest’ defections from the bitter & twisted wing?

[Tubby Isaacs]

I think this defection is extremely damaging to Sunak because Dover is the main constituency affected by immigrants crossing the channel. If the MP for Dover isn't convinced by Sunak's attempts to stop the small boats then he is in real trouble.

Yeah, but Labour haven't distanced themselves from her views sufficiently. They needed to do that as well.

[Oboogie]

I'm relieved she's not standing, she's a batshit right-winger and, if I lived in Dover, I'd not be comfortable canvassing for her as my Labour MP.

[Watchman]

The only thing I can take from it: yes it’s all performative but as said, it makes Sunak look even more a twat (1 for us), she’s gone to us not Tice (2 for us), she’s not standing at the next election so can still put effort behind our candidate (3 for us) and just let the whole thing wither on the vine for a few months

[Tubby Isaacs]

I doubt she'll do much in the General Election. Or at least I hope not.

[satnav]

I wonder if Farage is eyeing up Dover as a possible constituency to contest at the next election? Immigration is clearly a big issue in the town so if he can't put in a good performance in a town like Dover where will he stand?

[davidjay]

I doubt she'll do much in the General Election. Or at least I hope not.

I can't see her renewing her membership in a year's time, put it that way.

[Youngian]

I wonder if Farage is eyeing up Dover as a possible constituency to contest at the next election?

He’s standing as an election night presenter for GBNews.

[Watchman]

I wonder if Farage is eyeing up Dover as a possible constituency to contest at the next election? Immigration is clearly a big issue in the town so if he can't put in a good performance in a town like Dover where will he stand?

Nah! He have to actually put some effort in, and not just stand on the White Cliffs, shouting