Natalie Elphicke: Labor insists former Tory MP is ‘good candidate’ for party

Labor has defended welcoming Conservative defector Natalie Elphicke into the party after anger from some backbenchers over the decision.

Labor chair Anneliese Dodds said the Dover MP was a “good and natural” fit for her party.

Some Labor MPs have raised concerns about Ms Elphicke’s political views and previous criticism of the Labor Party.

“People can change their minds,” Dodds said.

Ms Elphicke defected to Labor in a surprise move on Wednesday, attacking the “broken promises of Rishi Sunak’s tired and chaotic government”.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Labor Party chairwoman Ms Dodds said Ms Elphicke was a “good and natural” fit for the Labor Party.

“What she set out (in her statement) is absolutely fundamental for the Labor Party.”

He added: “Natalie Elphicke is not the first Conservative MP to have made this decision… (she) has made the same decision as many other former Conservative supporters across the country.

“I think it’s absolutely right that he did that because he’s clearly here putting his constituents first.”

Ms Elphicke has campaigned for rent freezes and against homelessness, areas where she has common ground with the Labor Party.

But he has also previously accused the Labor Party of being soft on human rights and migration.

Many Labor MPs are deeply uncomfortable with comments she made about her ex-husband Charlie Elphicke, whom she replaced as MP for Dover in 2019.

He has not commented on those earlier comments since defecting on Wednesday.

The Labor Party said: “all such issues have been previously discussed both in Parliament and in public.”

But Jess Phillips, former shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, said Ms Elphicke should “be held accountable for her actions”.

The Labor MP told ITV’s Peston: “I’m all for forgiveness, but I think that needs some explaining.”

Opposition leader Keir Starmer said on Wednesday he was “delighted” with his defection and told reporters it showed Labor was “the party in the national interest”.

In her defection statement, Ms Elphicke said the Labor Party had “changed beyond recognition” under Keir Starmer and now occupied the “centre” of British politics.

“For me, the key deciding factors have been housing and the security of our borders,” he added.

It is Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s second defection to the Labor Party in less than two weeks, after Dr Dan Poulter also quit the Conservatives last month. However, Poulter was considered to be more at the center of the Conservative Party.

Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield said Labor MPs were “baffled” by Ms Elphicke’s defection, describing it as “really peculiar”. She said she did not “believe for a second that she (Mrs Elphicke) had suddenly transformed into a Labor MP”.

John McDonnell, who was shadow chancellor under former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn, told LBC he was “surprised and shocked”, adding: “I am a firm believer in conversion powers, but I think even this would have put try generosity.” of the spirit of John the Baptist, sincerely.”

Labor MP Mick Whitley called the defection “scandalous” and added that Ms Elphicke did not share the “values ​​of the Labor movement”.

Conservative MPs have also expressed surprise at Ms Elphicke’s defection, with Transport Minister Huw Merriman branding her “shameless” and “opportunistic”.

“I’m just disappointed in politics because she’s done what she’s done,” he added.

Mish Rahman, a member of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee, said he did not welcome Ms Elphicke’s defection and said the party was becoming “dirtier”.

He said the Labor Party should be dedicated to changing the country, “not saving the careers of Conservative politicians who the British public reject for the damage they have done to the country.”

“She is not fit to be a member of the Labor Party, let alone an MP,” he added.