Natalie Elphicke's recent defection from the Conservative Party to Labour has sparked significant controversy and backlash within both parties and among the public. The move, described as unexpected by many, has led to criticisms of Labour's leadership under Sir Keir Starmer for accepting Elphicke, particularly given her past defense of her ex-husband, a convicted sex offender. High-profile figures, including former Labour MP Diane Abbott and political commentator Jess Phillips, have expressed dismay, suggesting the defection could damage Labour's reputation. Additionally, some Labour members are actively seeking to block Elphicke's membership, citing her divisive impact. Baroness Chakrabarti questioned the inclusion of Elphicke while Diane Abbott remains excluded, and Lord Cameron criticized Labour for lacking principles. Tom Baldwin defended Elphicke's right to change parties, while Stephen Pound expressed discomfort with her joining Labour. Wes Streeting noted ongoing talks with other Tory MPs considering defection, emphasizing selective acceptance.
🎧 New Electoral Dysfunction 👉 https://t.co/rZKxGb8jiW Sir Keir Starmer has been criticised for letting Dover MP Natalie Elphicke into Labour - she previously defended her ex-husband, who was convicted of sexual assault. @JessPhillips says it felt “a bit like being punched in… https://t.co/lI0m3moNPe
Tory MP Natalie Elphicke has defected to Labour with attack on Rishi Sunak. Alex Phillips: "She got her job because her husband was a sex pest." 📺 Watch Plank Of The Week on YouTube: https://t.co/jAuVwabQz0 @Iromg @ThatAlexWoman @willgeddes @DobbsandPolicy @steve_denyer https://t.co/sAmJLpqnQg
'Not everyone is treated with such generosity': Diane Abbott lashes out at Labour for welcoming Tory defector Natalie Elphicke while she remains suspended from the party - as Keir Starmer dismisses anger at accepting Dover MP https://t.co/oPOPfq7LiM https://t.co/vtbjAM9pwc
Jess Phillips has revealed that seeing Natalie Elphicke cross the floor to join the Labour Party felt "a bit like being punched in the gut" Read more🔗 https://t.co/jp4D47ZI0E
Wes Streeting has said he has spoken to more Tory MPs who are considering defecting to Labour ⬇️ https://t.co/xlZzkwd89z
“Had she gone to Reform or the BNP, we would have kind of understood it” Tory MP commenting on Natalie Elphicke's defection on @Alain_Tolhurst's @politicshome podcast 👇https://t.co/jJXTDhQsZH
New Electoral Dysfunction out now👉🏽https://t.co/rZKxGb8jiW @JessPhillips seeing Natalie Elphicke cross the floor to join the Labour party felt “a bit like being punched in the gut”
🗣️Labour in talks with more Tory MPs about defecting, says Wes Streeting https://t.co/c6bnekG8z7
Starmer under pressure to reinstate Diane Abbott after welcoming Natalie Elphicke to Labour https://t.co/QoOfSfpdQE
Another day, another defection - @kiranstacey and I chew over what Natalie Elphicke's defection means for Sunak and Starmer. Did Starmer miscalculate the level of anger about him welcoming Elphicke, or is it doing exactly the job he hoped? https://t.co/laC5jZdrQe
The Spectator’s James Heale says Natalie Elphicke’s defection to Labour “is a defection too far”. "I'll be surprised if she doesn't defect back given the way everyone's briefing against her. So much for socialist solidarity!" @Iromg https://t.co/lCRKF7y8je
🤔 What Dover really thinks of its hardline Tory MP switching to Labour Natalie Elphicke’s shock defection to the opposition party has left everyone feeling bewildered – not least her constituents ⬇️ https://t.co/SlPtCpmLgi
New Electoral Dysfunction👉🏽https://t.co/rZKxGb8jiW Keir Starmer has been criticised for letting Dover MP Natalie Elphicke into Labour - she previously defended her ex-husband, who was convicted of sexual assault. @JessPhillips says it felt “a bit like being punched in the gut”.
Natalie Elphicke defection 'like being punched in the gut', says Jess Philips Read more🔗 https://t.co/LlcwmIDBjA
New Electoral Dysfunction out now https://t.co/rZKxGb8jiW @JessPhillips seeing Natalie Elphicke cross the floor to join the Labour party felt “a bit like being punched in the gut” https://t.co/A6BJUAlZ0t
Labour frontbencher Wes Streeting said he has spoken to more Tories considering a defection to the opposition but insisted the party would not accept just any MP after former Conservative Natalie Elphicke crossed the floor ✍: PA Political Staff https://t.co/mcWthjrnmW
Natalie Elphicke, who defected from Conservative to Labour, has apologised for comments about her ex-husband's victims Listen to Chris Mason on the latest #BBCNewscast…
“Natalie Elphicke is ‘an opportunist’ & ‘Labour looks bad.. Labour is ‘selling its soul’ & ‘please don’t do that’ just to win the election.” The Elphicke defection is backfiring on Starmer! #bbcqt https://t.co/F9o4l826Bh
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to resist demands for the immediate reinstatement of Diane Abbott into the Labour Party after he welcomed the former Tory MP Natalie Elphicke into the fold @RichardVaughan1 reports https://t.co/MCdzKguE0m
Natalie Elphicke's defection "seems to have united the Conservatives and the country that it is such an odd defection", says ex adviser to minister Michael Gove, @CharlieRowley18. "People will see through this - the public aren't silly", he adds. https://t.co/GlTNastFii https://t.co/M7mQbFjkJE
"It wasn’t quite the slam dunk that Keir Starmer was looking for" @SophyRidgeSky opens up #PoliticsHub on the news that defected MP Natalie Elphicke has apologised for supporting her sex offender ex-husband after concerns from Labour MPs. https://t.co/Qi4TcO1QA1 📺 Sky 501 https://t.co/GJASJvPskX
🔍 Analysis: senior Labour figures and female MPs have expressed alarm over Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to accept the MP for Dover. Here's how Natalie Elphicke’s defection was a brutal political calculation ⬇️ https://t.co/kFbhawVd7X
On yesterday’s #PoliticsHub we were talking about the Natalie Elphicke defection, and whether the curious lack of Labour MPs publicly welcoming her to the party perhaps suggested it wasn’t quite the slam dunk that Keir Starmer was looking for. And today there have been some……
'I just wonder what she could possibly have been offered... It shows there's more opportunism than conviction in some people' @TomTugendhat comments on Natalie Elphicke, after she defected to Labour. The MP took over her husband's seat after he was jailed for sex offences. https://t.co/f83qE1glgR
Political commentator Charlie Rowley says former Tory MP Natalie Elphicke’s defection to Labour “has spectacularly backfired” on Starmer’s party. “The Labour Party has taken this up just to score cheap political points." #Talk https://t.co/ykiJiBlUTH
“I wonder if the Labour chief whip wishes there was an 8 week quarantine period to see if this is a wise move?” Do Labour really want Natalie Elphicke in their party, or the satisfaction of a Tory defection? @maitlis | @jonsopel | @GlobalPlayer https://t.co/dOIdFsyEgf
Few Labour MPs have gone public in criticising Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to welcome Tory Rightwinger Natalie Elphicke into the party’s ranks https://t.co/xl2i1XdKph
“I wonder whether the Labour chief whip wishes there was an 8 week quarantine period to see if this is a wise move?” Do Labour really want Tory defector Natalie Elphicke in their party, or the satisfaction of a Tory defection? @maitlis | @jonsopel | @GlobalPlayer https://t.co/oC9OnQBFdA
Natalie Elphicke: Dover feels betrayed by Tory MP's defection to Labour https://t.co/tJaw4Ycnri
Labour in neighbouring Folkstone and Hythe call for members in Dover and Deal to block Natalie Elphicke's application to join the party and warns "tremendous damage" has been done to Labour's reputation by admitting her. https://t.co/RLfOgyNvHR
Natalie Elphicke's neighbouring constituency Labour party issues a statement saying they are "shocked and appalled" by the admission of such a "toxic and divisive" figure into their party, and urge Labour members in Dover to apply for her membership to be rejected. https://t.co/eGmkY5Jnmz
'If i'd have been the chief whip at the time and got this application from Natalie Elphicke, I would have said 'we're full, there's a waiting list.' Former Labour MP Stephen Pound says Natalie Elphicke's defection to the Labour Party doesn't sit right with him. https://t.co/YPbD59V9db
'Politicians are actually more nuanced... and they are allowed to change their minds.' Former Labour Party adviser Tom Baldwin defends Natalie Elphicke's defection to Labour, but tells @ShelaghFogarty that 'she does need to show she has some Labour values'. https://t.co/WkCOAwkIxi
'Let my friend Diane Abbott back into Labour ranks,' says Baroness Shami Chakrabarti after Sir Keir Starmer welcomes Tory defector Natalie Elphicke https://t.co/Spt1BegARi
Natalie Elphicke’s defection is everything that’s wrong with politics. She so badly wants to stop the boats she’s joined a party that has no plan to do so. Meanwhile, Starmer’s Labour doesn’t even have any principles to betray, says Tom Slater https://t.co/WNPxXMbwvb
While Westminster was shocked by Natalie Elphicke's defection from the Tories to Labour it left her Dover constituents gobsmacked, writes @HenryRiley1 for LBC Views https://t.co/ywvsgEqPyV
Labour has defended welcoming Tory defector Natalie Elphicke into the party after the decision sparked anger from some backbench MPs. Tap below to read more: https://t.co/7eDqOm6Ota
What will Labour gain from its controversial Tory defection? Natalie Elphicke's surprise move has angered both Tories and some within Labour 📧 Our Early Edition newsletter, by @jacquelinehead https://t.co/4Z0QA2S3Jk
Lord Cameron thought “oh no, not another one” when he heard about news of Natalie Elphicke’s defection to Labour. He said after a period of reflection, however, he now believes it shows Labour "stand for nothing".
"If there is now a place for a changed Natalie Elphicke in the Parliamentary Labour Party, surely my friend Diane Abbott will have the whip restored quick smart" Labour peer Baroness Chakrabarti gives #PoliticsLive her thoughts on the Tory defection https://t.co/c0IyU2jIsY https://t.co/GW7U193CYx
"It all happened pretty quickly and barely anyone in Westminster saw it coming" @ChrisMasonBBC reflects on Natalie Elphicke's defection to Labour https://t.co/3Q8cBbuhCG