Will Keir Starmers Choice To Accept Natalie Elphicke Backfire

Keir Starmer used to be feeling more than happy with himself then top minister’s questions these days.

The Labour chief used to be cock-a-hoop at pulling off a show-stealing coup when Tory MP Natalie Elphicke dramatically crossed the ground simply two mins sooner than the weekly Commons showpiece.

Conservative MPs had been left shocked through the generation of parliamentary theatre, exchanging quizzical seems to be and muttering darkly because it turned into sunny what had came about.

Elphicke, the MP for Dover, is the 3rd Tory to disease to Labour on this parliament – and the second one to take action inside of a fortnight.

A extremely joyful Starmer mentioned: “She’s got a strong track record on issues such as housing, she’s on the frontline when it comes to the crisis of small boats.

“I think she speaks for very many Tory voters in saying that the Tory Party has changed, it’s left the centre ground. But equally the Labour Party has changed and we are very clearly the party of the national interest.”

However it’s Elphicke’s earlier right-wing stance on problems as various as immigration and Marcus Rashford’s college meal marketing campaign which raised eyebrows, and may just purpose bother for Starmer additional ill the form.

As Northern Eire minister Steve Baker mentioned on X: “I have been searching in vain for a Conservative MP who thinks themself to the right of Natalie Elphicke. One just quipped: ‘I didn’t realise there was any room to her right’.”

Others on social media identified that Labour now seems to be satisfied to depend a member of the Brexiteer Eu Analysis Workforce amongst their MPs, however no longer Diane Abbott, nonetheless suspended through the birthday celebration over allegations of anti-semitism.

It’s in all probability disagree twist of fate that The Mother or father is reporting that Kate Osamor, any other member of the Labour left, is to get the birthday celebration rush again then an investigation into feedback she made about Gaza at the eve of Holocaust Memorial Life.

Momentum, disagree lovers of Starmer it will have to be mentioned, condemned the verdict to simply accept Elphicke to the parliamentary Labour birthday celebration.

“She voted against Labour proposals to outlaw fire and rehire, while supporting a wide array of destructive and damaging Tory legislation,” the crowd mentioned.

“She should have no place in a Labour Party committed to progressive values and working class people.”

In fact, Group Starmer will imagine that the message Elphicke’s defiction sends out – that Labour is beneath fresh control and now a house for individuals who have voted Tory within the pace – will outweigh any adverse headlines.

However there may be a chance that an already uninterested voters would possibly come to the realization that there is not any actual residue between Labour and the Conservatives, and make a decision to behave accordingly through sitting on their arms come polling occasion.