LABOUR chief Sir Keir Starmer was battling a celebration revolt final evening as one in all his predecessors slammed his choice to confess right-wing Tory Natalie Elphicke.
He was warned by grandee Lord Kinnock to be “picky” about who he permits after posing alongside the defecting MP, who controversially defended her intercourse offender husband.
Former Conservative colleagues of Elphicke — whose Dover constituency is on the coronary heart of the migrants disaster — have been additionally in disbelief final evening that she had jumped ship simply weeks after she condemned Labour for having an open borders coverage.
A beaming Sir Keir was yesterday pictured together with his new recruit in his workplace alongside the Union Jack.
However the shock switch was met with a wave of hostility from either side of the political divide, with Sir Keir accused of scrapping his ideas.
Lord Kinnock, Labour chief from 1983 to 1992, warned: “Now we have bought to be picky to a level about who we enable to affix our occasion as a result of it’s a really broad church however church buildings have partitions and there are limits.”
Senior Westminster-based GMB commerce union boss Jenny Symmons mentioned: “Labour has welcomed her in . . . with out seemingly having requirements you must meet.”
She has written to the chief whip demanding a gathering about vetting wannabe MPs.
It comes after Elphicke defended husband Charlie, her predecessor as MP for Dover, till he was convicted of three costs of sexual assault towards two girls.
She was one in all 5 senior Tory MPs who improperly tried to affect the trial decide. She revealed that their 25-year marriage was over after he was convicted and jailed in 2020.
One livid Labour MP mentioned final evening: “It’s completely bonkers. Has anybody executed any due diligence on her? This leaves a really bitter style within the mouth.
“It reveals the management are comfortable to commerce the ideas they do have for a short-term hit.”
One other mentioned her transfer had gone down like a “cup of chilly sick”.
Elphicke, who took over her husband’s Dover seat, has additionally repeatedly attacked Labour on migrants. She mentioned the Authorities’s plan to cease the boats was “very important” whereas Labour’s makes an attempt to undermine it are “harmful”.
The Conservatives yesterday posted an article written by her, headlined: “Don’t belief Labour on immigration”.
The occasion mentioned: “Even Labour MPs know you possibly can’t belief Labour to cease the boats.”
Tory MPs didn’t look gutted, they simply shook their heads in disappointment…
By JACK ELSOM, Chief Political Correspondent
IT could not be her – might it?
That was the collective response when a lady trying suspiciously just like the Tory MP Natalie Elphicke was noticed sat behind Sir Keir Starmer on the Labour facet of the Home of Commons chamber.
The time was simply earlier than midday and Rishi Sunak was moments away from his weekly bout together with his Opposition rival.
Following a bruising set of native elections, the PM was eager to get again on the entrance foot by rallying his Tory troops.
Nevertheless it quickly turned clear that he had walked into an ambush.
It WAS Natalie Elphicke, Labour spinners confirmed as political journalists hurried to interrupt the information.
An announcement from their new recruit blasting her previous occasion was promptly launched to trigger most harm.
However for all of the transient pleasure, it proved a little bit of a humid squib.
Removed from detonating a political bomb underneath PMQs, it was barely referenced beside a fast gloat from Starmer on the prime.
Tory MPs didn’t look gutted – they simply shook their heads in disappointment.
In truth her defection solely served to stir the Conservative benches into full voice cheering their chief.
Particularly when inside moments of her crossing the ground, Elphicke’s previous disparaging feedback about Labour emerged.
A neat coup for Starmer, however not a physique blow by any means.
Elphicke additionally branded her new boss “Sir Softie” earlier than a crunch immigration vote final yr.
Tory MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns slammed the choice to defect, saying: “You have been a centre-right Conservative, Labour wish to give asylum to 50,000-plus individuals.
“I believed you had extra conviction than to affix the lefty Labour lot you despised a lot!’’
Northern Eire minister Steve Baker mentioned he has been “looking in useless for a Conservative MP who thinks themself to the precise of Natalie Elphicke”.
She additionally triggered controversy for taking purpose at anti-poverty campaigner and England footballer Marcus Rashford after he missed a penalty within the Euro 2020 ultimate.
She mentioned: “Wouldn’t it be ungenerous to say Rashford ought to’ve spent extra time perfecting his recreation and fewer time enjoying politics?”
Left-wing group Momentum mentioned Elphicke has “persistently demonised refugees and assist teams”. It accused Sir Keir of taking Labour away from its core values.
Ex-Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell added: “I’m stunned and shocked like many individuals.
“I’m a terrific believer within the powers of conversion, however I believe even this one would’ve strained the generosity of spirit of John the Baptist, fairly truthfully…”
Elphicke is the second Tory MP in as many weeks to defect to Labour following Dan Poulter. She was in talks for “a while”, Labour mentioned.
In an announcement, Elphicke mentioned the Tories underneath Rishi Sunak had grow to be a “byword for incompetence and division”.
The occasion had “deserted” the centre floor whereas key pledges made by Boris Johnson in his 2019 manifesto have been “ditched”, she mentioned.
Sir Keir side-stepped yesterday when requested if extra MPs might defect earlier than the election.