Mixed reaction in Dover as town's MP joins Labour

Natalie Elphicke remains the MP for Dover and Deal, but will now represent the Labour Party

Tory MP Natalie Elphicke has been labelled a "turncoat" by a councillor in her Dover and Deal constituency after her shock defection to the Labour Party.

Ms Elphicke left the Conservative Party on Wednesday saying "key deciding factors" were housing and the safety and security of the country's borders.

She will not stand as a candidate in the Kent constituency at the next general election, Labour confirmed, saying it will retain its existing candidate.

Oliver Richardson, a Conservative councillor on Dover District Council, said the town's MP has "let us down" and is "a complete turncoat".

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But another Conservative councillor said he could understand why she had defected.

Whitfield councillor James Back said: “I can understand her reasoning. There’s no point in staying where you don’t believe in what’s going on.”

Kevin Mills, the Labour leader of Dover District Council, said: "She believes this country has been let down by the government and has been quite clear that the only government she can see taking us forward - providing fairness, opportunity, housing - is a Labour government under Keir Starmer."

Rosie Duffield, the Labour MP for the neighbouring Canterbury constituency, said she was "baffled" by the move.

“Natalie and I work together on a lot of local issues but I don’t believe for a second that she has suddenly transformed into a Labour MP," said Ms Duffield, who had been Labour's only MP in Kent.

“My stance on immigration, refugees and asylum seekers, for example, has always been completely different to Natalie's.

“So, I’m not sure what that means now about Labour’s view on those things. Is it mine? Or is it hers?"

Dover constituent Simon Parfitt described the defection as "opportunist"

Simon Parfitt, 57, described the Dover MP as an "opportunist" who didn't want to lose her job.

He told the BBC: "It took me all of about 10 seconds to realise she doesn’t want to be part of a sinking ship.

"I think most people feel the same to be honest."

Diane Holman said she laughed when she heard about her local MP's defection

Diane Holman, a carer from Dover, said she didn’t think it was “that good news for Labour” because Ms Elphicke had not been a “brilliant MP”.

She said: “I laughed when I found out, as did my friends - my phone just went ballistic with messages. Everybody just thinks the same”

Christine Norman, 80, agreed with Ms Holman on the MP's record, describing her as “very nebulous - very here and there”.

She added: “It’s very much in character and good luck to her.

“I expect the Labour Party could do without her to be honest.”

Marie Kirk said Dover needed "hope and help"

Bill and Marie Kirk, both originally from Dover, were visiting the town from London.

They hoped Ms Elphicke’s move was “principle rather than pragmatism”.

Mrs Kirk said: “This town needs hope and help - it’s very deprived.

“She must have an awareness of the town she is representing and that things need to change. Good luck to her I say.”

Her husband added: “I think it’s reflective of a need for change in this country and in that sense I’m hopeful.”

Gordon Cowan, chairman of the council and Labour councillor for St Radigunds, said he would concentrate on backing Labour's candidate to fight the Dover seat, Mike Tapp.

Mr Cowan said it was "always a good sign" that people wanted to join Labour, adding it was "no different" from a "normal person in the street" who wanted to join.

Ms Elphicke claimed that since her election in 2019 "many things have changed".

She said: "Under Rishi Sunak, the Conservatives have become a byword for incompetence and division."

The MP crossed the floor of the House of Commons on Wednesday and took a seat on the opposition benches for the weekly Prime Minister's Questions.

She heard Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer claim there had been 2,400 small boat crossings in the Channel since the controversial Rwanda Bill passed through parliament on April 22.

In a statement, she said the Conservative government "is failing to keep our borders safe and secure", with lives being lost in the Channel and small boat arrivals "at record levels".