Has Keir Starmer made a tactical mistake by recruiting the Tory MP Natalie Elphicke as his latest Starmtrooper? That’s the question being asked in Westminster after the Labour leader unveiled the Tory defector as a Labour MP just before Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday. The Dover MP crossed the floor using a statement to say that the Tories had become a ‘byword for incompetence and division’. Starmer meanwhile spoke of his delight, arguing that it shows Labour is now ‘the party of the national interest’. A photo of the duo was put out with the pair all smiles. The defection is less than a fortnight after Labour celebrated Dan Poulter turning his back on the Conservatives.
In both instances, Tory MPs were quick to see red and criticise their former colleagues. As one Tory MP said to me of Elphicke’s defection: ‘It would have made more sense if she went to Reform. She’s gender critical, anti-woke, very right on tax, obviously very right on immigration. She thinks Starmer is a muppet – or at least she did very recently’. This is similar to Jacob Rees-Mogg’s reaction expressing bafflement at the move on GB News on Wednesday night:
‘I couldn’t believe that Natalie, who was a hard right, tough on migration member of the European Research Group – it was the most extraordinary thing for her to do. It doesn’t make any sense at all. She should have joined Reform. I mean, if she joined Reform, there would have been some logic to it. She might actually agree with Reform. But if you look at all her statements over all the time she has been in Parliament, she does not agree with the Labour Party. Dr. Dan Poulter was a different wing of the party, he never really had very strong beliefs on anything very much as far as I could tell. Nobody saw him again today. He hasn’t been around a great deal.’
While Labour MPs and Rees-Mogg don’t agree on much they do share some thoughts on Elphicke. What is most striking since Starmer unveiled his new hire is the level of unhappiness in the Labour party.
Speaking on Peston last night, former Labour frontbencher Jess Phillips said she ‘didn’t believe it at first’ and had discovered it from a Tory MP. There is particular discomfort among several female Labour MPs over comments Elphicke made after her ex-husband, former Tory MP Charlie Elphicke, was accused of sexual assault. Following his conviction, she said he was ‘attractive, and attracted to women’ thereby making him an ‘easy target’.
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock has criticised the move saying the party ought to be ‘choosy to a degree about who we allow to join our party’. Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves previously told Ephicke to ‘f— off’ after she criticised England footballer Marcus Rashford for missing a penalty. As one Labour figure said to me last night: ‘I can see what they’re trying to do but I doubt it will end well’.
The view in Starmer’s inner circle is that this is a win: it destabilises Sunak, reduces his majority and keeps up the idea his party is a sinking ship. Even if Tory MPs won’t depose the PM, his party is in a state of decline. Elphicke’s constituency is also a key seat (the Starmtrooper Mike Tapp – a former soldier – will be the candidate at the election, with Elphicke stepping down then) they want to win and it is also at the centre of the small boats issue. Therefore the one-time Tory candidate backing Starmer on stopping boats (despite her many criticisms previously of his position) ought to help Labour send a message to these voters.
But Elphicke’s defection comes at a time when Labour MPs are spooked by a threat from the Green party following the locals. Some are questioning what their party stands for and the decision to welcome Elphicke does more to worry Starmer’s flock than help Labour’s path to power.
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