Non-motoring > MP Defects Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Bromptonaut Replies: 8
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 Wed 8 May 24 12:14 
 MP Defects - Bromptonaut
Natalie Elphicke, MP for Dover has defected from the Conservatives.

I saw the headline on my phone and assumed she'd followed 30p Lee to Reform but turns out it's Labour she's gone to!!

Wonder whether it's really a Damascene conversion or just that she hopes to stand for Labour at the GE. It was a Labour seat until 2010 when her disgraced (ex?) husband Charlie won it for the Tories.
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 Wed 8 May 24 12:47 
 MP Defects - Terry
I understand she is from the right of the Tory party dislikes Rishi and would welcome Boris back.

I question her integrity and sincerity.

I also wonder whether a warm welcome from Labour may backfire upon them.
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 Wed 8 May 24 13:10 
 MP Defects - Runfer D'Hills
When I saw the thread title I thought it was going to be a rather longer list…
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 Wed 8 May 24 13:51 
 MP Defects - Bromptonaut
Momentum are not happy about Labour embracing Ms Elphikce.

In a statement it says, given her voting record, she should have “no place in a Labour party committed to progressive values and working-class people”.
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 Wed 8 May 24 16:09 
 MP Defects - Bobby
Excuse the pessimism.

Could she be a spy for Tories?? I believe Labour already have a candidate picked for her seat.
Could she defect back to Tories when election is called?

The fact that Labour have welcomed her sums up where Labour now sit. Scary.
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 Wed 8 May 24 18:06 
 MP Defects - Zero
It's no surprise, joining reform won't get her elected, staying Tory is the same outcome, so she defected to Labour hoping to get nominated/re elected. I hope Labour kick into touch at selection time, she has the morals and convictions of a sewer rat, constitutional prostitution.
Last edited by: Zero on Wed 8 May 24 at 18:07
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 Thu 9 May 24 07:42 
 MP Defects - Bromptonaut
Report on Times Radio this morning has another perspective.

On the big issue for her constituency, whilst she's anti small boats or other migration and pro-border control she is not a fan of the Rwanda scheme. Rather she favours negotiating a returns deal with France which broadly aligns with Labour.

Her statement also mentions a number of housing related issues including the present government's failure to carry through it's promise to abolish ground rents and 'no fault' evictions. Prior to entering parliament she was a Housing Lawyer and at least to some extent a 'go to' expert on Social Housing.

The failure of governments, of all stripes, to replace on an industrial scale Social Housing sold under Right to Buy is a scandal of all but 50 years.

Rosie Duffield, Labour MP for Canterbury, also has an interesting view. As you'd expect she has to work with NE on Kentish matters and says they get on well professionally. She's less keen on NE's attempts to defend her sex offender ex husband in terms that, used by a man might be regarded as misogynist.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Thu 9 May 24 at 07:44
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 Thu 9 May 24 12:53 
 MP Defects - Terry
>> she is not a fan of the Rwanda scheme. Rather she favours
>> negotiating a returns deal with France which broadly aligns with Labour.

I think a return deal with France has as much traction as pigs flying. France has a bigger problem with illegal migration, pay lip service to stopping channel crossings, but are happy to see their problem minimised.

Her voting record www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25831/natalie_elphicke/dover/votes shows her as right (but not extremely so) of centre. On many issues she has voted against Labour policy - either a consequence of the party whip system or lack of integrity/conviction.
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 Fri 10 May 24 09:49 
 MP Defects - sooty123
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/telegraph-cartoons-may-2024/
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