Phillip Lee, a Tory MP, has just left the party in the most dramatic way possible. He crossed the floor of the House of Commons while Boris Johnson was speaking.
For a few seconds the House didn’t realise what was happening, then, as Lee took his new seat next to Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson, cheers broke out, drowning out Johnson.
The Prime Minister’s statement was, at this stage, largely about the rainforests and conservation, which seemed rather at odds with what was going on politically. The government has just lost its working majority.
Lee has been on defection watch for months. It is not a huge surprise that he has defected, as he had originally been named as one of the Tories likely to join the Independent Group. He has now joined the Lib Dems. He might not be the last.
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