Sunak’s ‘chaotic’ UK government suffers further blow as another Conservative lawmaker defects to Starmer’s Labour Party
- In a stunning move, Natalie Elphicke, who has been critical of the opposition in the past, crossed the floor to join the ranks of Keir Starmer’s Labour Party
- Elphicke is the second Conservative lawmaker to defect to Labour in two weeks, after Dan Poulter quit over the government’s handling of the national health service
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was accused on Wednesday of leading a “chaotic” government as another one of his Conservative lawmakers defected to the main opposition Labour Party ahead of a looming general election.
In a stunning move just ahead of weekly prime minister’s questions, Natalie Elphicke crossed the floor of the House of Commons to join the ranks of Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, which appears to be heading for power after 14 years.
“We need to move on from the broken promises of Rishi Sunak’s tired and chaotic government,” said Elphicke, who represents the constituency of Dover, which is at the front-line of migrant crossings from France.
“Under Rishi Sunak, the Conservatives have become a byword for incompetence and division.”
The defection of Elphicke is particularly surprising, as she was widely considered to be on the right of the Conservative Party and has been hugely critical of Labour in the past. But she has recently been increasingly disapproving of the government’s approach to migrant crossings.
“From small boats to biosecurity, Rishi Sunak’s government is failing to keep our borders safe and secure,” she said. “Lives are being lost in the English Channel, while small boat arrivals are once again at record levels.”