UK Conservative defects to Labour Party, another hit to PM Rishi Sunak ahead of election

[RandySF]

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was accused Wednesday of leading a "chaotic" government as another one of his Conservative lawmakers defected to the main opposition Labour Party ahead of a looming general election.

In a stunning move just ahead of weekly prime minister's questions, Natalie Elphicke crossed the floor of the House of Commons to join the ranks of Keir Starmer's Labour Party, which appears headed for power after 14 years.

"We need to move on from the broken promises of Rishi Sunak’s tired and chaotic government," said Elphicke, who represents the constituency of Dover in southern England which is at the front line of migrant crossings from France. "Under Rishi Sunak, the Conservatives have become a byword for incompetence and division."

Elphicke is the second Conservative lawmaker to defect to Labour in two weeks after Dan Poulter quit in anger over the government’s handling of the National Health Service.




https://www.foxnews.com/world/uk-conservative-defects-labour-party-another-hit-pm-rishi-sunak-election

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. A lot of Labour are saying "are we really such a big tent we can include someone like that???"

The move has been controversial among many female Labour MPs because of her defence of Charlie Elphicke, her then husband who was convicted of sexual assault in 2020.

Shortly after his conviction, Natalie Elphicke told the Sun he had been the victim of a “terrible miscarriage of justice” and cast doubt on his victims’ testimonies.
...
Dodds faced questions over how Elphicke could be admitted to the Labour party when Abbott had been waiting a year for the outcome of an investigation into comments she had made about racism.

Abbott was suspended in April 2023 after writing a letter to the Observer that said while Irish, Jewish and Traveller people “undoubtedly experience prejudice”, they do not face racism “all their lives”.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/may/09/labour-chair-defends-decision-admit-natalie-elphicke-diane-abbott-anneliese-dodds-

The party waffles that "we have a process" for readmission, but that process currently seems to consist of "don't do anything".

Natalie Elphicke really is right wing. This would be the equivalent of the Democrats welcoming Nancy Mace.

[anamnua]

2. It would be like Marjorie Taylor Greene joining the Dems.

After proclaiming a Pauline conversion.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

3. who would likely replace the PM?