AIBU to think she should stand for re-election now?

[frankentall]

Natalie Elphicke: Tory MP defects to Labour.
After all she has said in the past about Labour.

I think it’s okay to change your mind, but ideologically there is a huge and to my mind irreconcilable chasm between Labour and Conservatives.

She sounds like a ego-driven chancer and as I’m sick of Tory charlatans, I’d be happy if Keir told her to do one.

She's standing down at the next election anyway. I suppose her local party could trigger a by election if they wanted to. I don't like the fact that she's defected to Labour personally but I am surprised she didn't defect to Reform.

Rats leaving the sinking ship. The longer Sunak puts off the election the more of this we will see. It can only get worse for the Tories now.

I didn't realise she was standing down anyway - her defection is nuts then. She's going to have a few months as a Labour MP and then (presumably) go back to being a banking lawyer or retire. Makes no sense at all.

This was my favourite moment - she joined in chanting "shame on you" until realising they meant her

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-60801436

I was listening to the radio earlier and apparently there is some speculation that she may have been offered a peerage. I have no idea if this is true.

She has also been extremely critical of Labour's immigration policy and when asked about that by a journalist she completely side stepped the question.

Some Labour MPs are not happy about having her in the party as she is supposedly on the right of the Tory party.

All seems a bit odd to me especially as she wasn't going to stand at the next election.

Crikey, who next - Penny Mordaunt?

or maybe even Shitler?

Given her past comments, I suspect she is just jumping to where she thinks she has a future job. She doesn’t seem like the usual defector-her past comments have been very right wing.

Absolutely vile individual, I don’t have any respect for a political party that welcomes her with open arms. Keir Starmer could, and should, have said nah, you’re alright love, thanks but no thanks.

Labour need to tell Tory defectors to feck right off. Same with the doctor the other week. It's not a good look to let them in.

She's standing down at the next election.

Hardly worth it now.

https://archive.ph/OTuAE

Labour will have gone down massively in my estimation if they have bribed her with a peerage but it really seems unlikely - I mean why bother as she is essentially worthless.

The fiction is you vote for the person, not the party.

Or rather if you voted for someone because of their party then tough titty.

We certainly need electoral reform. If people will vote for anyone with a blue (or red) rosette in places like Dover we end up with some very rum choices of MP

She said she hasn't been offered a peerage. I hope that's the case.

They said on lbc she isn't getting a peerage.
If I had voted for her as a conservative and now she has defected , i wouldn't be happy about it
( not a conservative voter myself, but that's irrelevant here)
I know MPs do this and all the rest of it , but some of her constituents can't be happy about it.

Not a good look for Labour. Disappointing that they have accepted her. She should have sat as an Independent.

I think she should stand down so that Labour can have another stonking by-election win.

But what would be even better would be Sunak calling a fucking election.

Agree.

The sinking ship deserting Roland Rat.

If I had voted for her as a conservative and now she has defected , i wouldn't be happy about it

But it's not all about you. They system is pretty unambiguous. You vote for a candidate and that's that. If they happen to cadge your vote by standing for one party, and then change allegiances ... tough. You are quite free to campaign to change the rules if you want.

However it's interesting the person/party frothing here. Isn't there a councillor who has just stood down so their (same party) mate can serve due to party list PR ?

We might need to make our minds up first.

I understand the theatre of presenting a defecting MP at PMQs but if I were Starmer I wouldn't have touched her with a 10ft barge pole.

The footage of Jonathan Gullis recognising her as she took her seat was brilliant though!