Keir Starmer was right to bring Natalie Elphicke on board – but he risks looking calculating rather than principled
The IndependentUnlike a jacket from Marks & Spencer, say, it’s not possible to “return” a defecting MP to the party whence they came. Ms Elphicke is too important as a totem of Tory division for the Labour leadership to have told her to get lost; and the style of her “crossing the floor” at Prime Minister’s Questions maximised the embarrassment to the prime minister, and the dismay of her former colleagues. The party’s internal “investigation” into her has meandered, inexplicably, since then, with the growing assumption that some people in the Labour Party would not be upset if it remained unresolved by the general election so that Ms Abbott couldn’t stand as an official party candidate. The juxtaposition of the unfair and harsh treatment meted out to Ms Abbott, a woman who has given her life to the cause and endured being the most racially abused woman in public life, and the indulgence displayed towards Ms Elphicke is painful, and damaging to Sir Keir, who trades on his basic decency. The problematic arrival of Ms Elphicke may well have inadvertently boosted Ms Abbott’s chances of staying in the party she loves.
History of this topic
Diane Abbott fury as Starmer suggests her suspension is nothing to do with him
The Independent
Keir Starmer risks inflaming Labour fury with speech 'alongside Tory defector Natalie Elphicke' in Dover TODAY as he pushes plan to deploy MI5 to tackle Channel boats crisis
Daily Mail
Labour talking to more Tory MPs about defecting, Streeting claims
The Independent
Starmer faces demands to reinstate Diane Abbott after welcoming ‘right-wing Tory MP’ into Labour
The Independent
Labour’s backlash against Natalie Elphicke will reshape the party
The Independent
Rosie Duffield urges Labour MPs to ‘speak up’ about Natalie Elphicke defection
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