More Tory MPs are considering defecting to Labour because of “division and incompetence” in Rishi Sunak’s government, a Labour frontbencher has claimed.
But Wes Streeting insisted his party would not take just any Tory MP, as unrest grew among Labour ranks over its acceptance of Natalie Elphicke, long considered to be on the right wing of the Conservatives.
He said: “I’ve been speaking to other Conservative MPs in Parliament, who are wrestling with their future.”
Meanwhile, Keir Starmer is facing calls to let MP Diane Abbott back into Labour.
Ms Elphicke, who sent shockwaves through Westminster by defecting on Wednesday, has apologised for defending her ex-husband after he was found guilty of sexual assault.
Charlie Elphicke, her predecessor as MP for Dover, was convicted in 2020 of sexually assaulting two women and jailed for two years.
She ended the marriage but had said her husband was “attractive, and attracted to women” and “an easy target for dirty politics and false allegations”.
One shadow minister told Politico her comments were “abhorrent” and a Labour councillor in Dover said the remarks “minimised what was predatory behaviour and sexual abuse”.
