There is room in Labour Party for everyone, except the left-wing. That's Starmer's Labour now: Tory lite.

Blair Starmer, Thatcher’s legacy continues.

The very fact that Elphicke would be comfortable in Keir Starmer’s Labour is proof positive that Labour has become Tory!

Let her in for one good headline then be forced to own any stupid sh*t she might say for the next 6+ months. Not sure i'd take that trade tbh.

He's not moving toward them, he's always been them. He's a fraud.

I'm a centre left voter, well lifelong Labour voter but the only distinguishable thing between the parties was their treatment of immigrants. The demonisation of vulnerable people by both parties is intolerable for me now

As Reeves said, if you don't want more Tory policy from Labour then you can exercise that option at the ballot box. Vote Green. 👍

Elphicke is ERG, the lowest of the low of Brexiteers, Starmer has lost his mind standing shoulder to shoulder with the ERG.

Starmer's Labour = Cameron's Tories in 2010. If you're okay with that then vote for them.

What terrifies me is that people still think politics is a thing in the post truth era. Ridiculous, sad and ignorant.

It would have made more sense if she’d gone to Britain First. Tells you everything you need to know about ‘Labour’

For the last several years I've been biting back at people giving 'both sides' about Labour vs Tories. I feel like such a fool.

He's definitely trying to build a more right leaning labour party, which isn't what the labour party should be about!!!

Elphicke has her uses, notably the immigration issue. She has undermined the opponents of the Labour party on this issue.

This was like Corbyn defecting to the Tories and Sunak shaking his hand grinning like a goon

Who does the normal, decent, none hating person vote for now?

I used to think Starmer was "Tory Lite" now it seems he's "Tory Right"

No. Because although it’s caused a bit of backlash. It’s caused the Tories to fall apart even more

Labour should not have taken this Tory in 🤬

The establishment uniparty

Clutching at straws Mr Starmer.

Just shows there is no difference between Labour and the Tories.

Elphicke stayed put.

Politics has become like America in uk you can vote for a right wing party or a slightly less right wing party

These people are still gonna tell you to vote Labour in the general.

She's just paraphrasing Starmer and clarifying his true meaning. What he meant to say in that cringing quote was: Labour has changed, Tories can trust them now.

My god, this is dreadful. I'd get better political insight from a table full of students at my local Wetherspoons. It'd certainly be less infantile.

Finger prints actually regrow to the same skin patern after damage. It's pretty cool

I've seen other observers come up with the following to soften this over; - She is standing down, so ultimately she wont be a Labour MP for very long. (Come on Sunak, call it already, it wont get any better the longer you wait) - She is only getting a seat in a place where her views have always been more aligned with Labour than the Tories. So whatever other views she has will not be Labour policy. - This is a strategic move. They could have told her to bugger off and become an independent, or double the MP's Reform has, which either means nothing or makes things even worse. But they've held their noses and welcomed her onboard in an effort to showcase a future Labour government is for (almost) everyone, not just the left. And with her in particular, they can basically say the Tories are actually more UKIP than the Conservative party from not that many years ago. With that said, they shouldn't accept another like her, they've made their point with this, no need for a repeat.

In the handshake photo with Starmer, is it me, or does Elphicke 100% remind you of a British Airways flight attendant circa 1985?

As someone who voted green at the local elections i have consistently said that when it comes to a general elections im unsure who to vote for and decide depending on the parties manifesto and the local state or the parties within my constituency, but the more time goes on, the more I see labour as just tory and feel like i have no choice but to vote green (if anyone parrots vote reform or lib dem, they are just tories too)

His worst move yet. God I wish I could make all these bad moves that kept me ahead of my closest competition by at least 20% for over 2 years at a time.

Actually shocked that labour are allowing neo-nazis in the party.

Because obviously a 7 yr old can’t swim???

One can only hope it will ruin labours chances and make people wake up qnd realise there's more than 2 parties.

Doesn't matter who you vote for the government always wins

Starmer is getting my vote no matter what.

she is standing down at the general election anyway if it brings down the Tories it is fine with me

The papers reporting yesterday that she was annoyed about not being made a minister (disgruntled ex- employee) - but I would be furious seeing nearly everyone of my colleagues having had at least 36 hours in cabinet. I was sent a presentation the other day and how many ministers have the DfE had in the last 14 years…you would have to think that you were in with a chance…

Find someone who looks at you the way that Starmer looks at apologists for sexual assault. Are victims safe in Starmer's Britain?

When Starmer destroys the Tories then runs a fair and honest country for 10 years you’ll still be upset.

Well a 7 year old can swim, just not in the Channel after falling out of a boat. No one can really, not even an adult man, as it's not the lack of ability to swim that means you will drown, it's cold water shock. It was more than drilled in to us to wear lifejackets when around shell doors as, even in the Carribean, falling 6 inches in to water and going under the platform means you're likely going to drown from it without one on.

I'm just as concerned for the Conservative party as much as the Labour party. Both great parties are holding morally unacceptable policies. This is a national crisis

Simony! (If we go with the Vatican metaphor)

Starmer has only done to make his speech about Labour now being the true conservatives correct.

Just proves that Labour is the New Conservative Party. Socialism has died in Labour.

hahahahaha starmer changes his mind every 5 mins hahahahahah

Labour need to start wearing purple ties

Awful from every angle,

I have to say that the political culture in the country is to blame. Rationally, both parties are virtually identical yet politicians and media slag off the other like they were complete opposites. The lack of intelligent political discourse is the cause. Democracy is over

this is just symbolic of how broken the political system is in this country. there is no focus, just focus groups, no direction, except the direction the flip flops point, no integrity, just personal gain. If you have a policy I don't agree with but you stick to it, I won't like your policy but I will respect your commitment to it. i have zero respect for these people that jump ship and back stab just for their own personal goals. Starmer should have told her 'yeah, thanks but no thanks.' - his moral dipstick is only one notch above hers.

Tories for Anglesey!

Most of what starmer criticizes is just how the current conservatives are not doing it GOOD enough not change or straight fixes its because they're just conservative...

How do people legally apply for asylum???

"this shows that he's moving towards *them*" This is the exact division that Starmer wishes to do away with...

She should just resign and make a bi election for a new Mp. Surely all the people who voted for her feel pertrayed. OR they should replace her with another tory.

No. Keep your eyes on the prize.

Joe Politics just moaning that Corbyne isnt in charge 🙄🥱 Seems like you guys like having the tories in charge.

Part of me is happy because it adds to the Tory chaos. Part of me is disturbed because, if we welcome someone holds such extreme views and has long been critical of Labour (as recently as a couple of weeks ago), then where is the line? Would we accept Farage? Patel? Braverman? All of whom hold more or less the same views as this woman. Moreover, can the suspensions of members and MPs like Diane Abbot really be justified, if the party is happy to take others who have objectively made much worse comments?

No.

Shouldn’t have been let in end off.

England.... please start listening to your cousin's North of the border 🙏 We've been telling you for years that labour are just red Tory's 😥....now you are getting to witness it in real time 😭

Who even is Natalie Elphicke?

Worst move yet was the lbc Interview imo

She said she's standing down, I think I've just realise that most people who share my politics don't read past the headline. What is wrong with you people? This is shy we've lost for 14 years in a row... READ MORE THAN THE HEADLINES!!!

Real collapse in quality of PoliticsJOE.

I would leave immigration in the hands of employers only

Lost my vote

I simply cannot offer support to any Party she feels comfortable in. And, while we debate it, the establishment remove political choice.

Regardless of what you think of both immigration and also refugees, most of us can hopefully agree that the small boats are a bad thing? Why does someone need to be centre right to think that?

I don’t agree with your analysis. There is is no disagreement from me that Elphicke has expressed views that are horrendous and should not fit with a Labour Party moving forward. However she is not standing at the next election, and her experience on housing is useful. She will have no impact on other policy whatsoever. Added to the pressure that her defection causes Conservatives on balance it’s a good move as long as it doesn’t cause a backlash and loads of people then are turned off Labour for reasons that don’t stack up. I agree that it seems ridiculous that Jamie Driscoll is not included in this Labour Party. However I don’t agree with your claims about how Elphicke’s inclusion is likely to impact the Party’s values. To me that’s sloppy journalism that is likely to turn people off Labour and help the Tories protect themselves from the drubbing that is possible if all of us get behind tactical voting fully and make this appalling party powerless for the foreseeable future. Elphicke’s defection can be a useful tactic that can assist us in that. You do us no favours if you turn it into a stick to beat Labour’s back with through promoting a lazy narrative.

I'd prefer that Labour had refused to take Natalie Elphicke, but I understand why Labour took her - it's embarrassing to the Tories to lose one of their own, and any criticisms of Sunak from her will sting. Break the Labour Party? Far from it, it's a net win for Labour.

Sir Stairclimber just wanted the limelight for a day and used Elphicke for that purpose only. He should now throw her out of the Labour party because of her idiotic utterances. Not even a Tory reject should be eligible to become a Labout Party member, let alone an MP.

I think Labour broke Labour...

I don't know WHAT to say.... I don't want to see Syrian refugees machine gunned by the army in the Channel. Neither do I want to see any more occupying dozens - hundreds - of scruffy rooms in sad B&Bs in ugly, desolate seaside towns...

The saddest part is, i will still vote labour. It feels wrong, but i cant risk another conservative win. They have to be definitively stamped out, with no chance of a coalition

@Gary-le7dz 18 seconds ago Labour 30 point poll lead this week you gov , the third highest swing from Tory’s to labour in a by election , Tory’s suffering record local Election losses and 2 Tory mp s defecting … most people are not you tube obsessed political junkies ,

I am not voting Labour until Kier Starmer resigns, I will vote independent instead.

They have always been accepting of floaters. They call it a broad church, but its sometimes seen as a sewer.

I find this outrage rather odd. it was generally seen that a defection is always a good thing, when moving from the sitting government to the op. The "outrage" some feel, is just the expression of Student Union level politics.

If I was to be charitable I would suggest that Elphicke's admission was about selling Labour's immigration policy to the people of Dover and right winger's in general. But I really think it was more about Labour simultaneously trolling both the Tories and the left of their own party. Well, message received loud and clear Mr Starmer - vote lost.

Im still voting Labour 🌹

What if Sunak calls an election and then immediately Elphike does an Anderson and goes to Reform shouting she now thinks that Labour policies won't work. That could be a big problem for Labour.

Starmer should change the party name

In your opinion. Enough said. Starmer's 2 leadership pledges: 1-unite the party 2-Make Labour electable 2/2 - not bad 👍

Remember when everyone joked that Starmer was a tory. The best place to hide is in plain sight?. The man looks tory, sounds tory, is offering nothing different to the tories and now his actually recruiting tories

It’s no wonder noone gets Starmer. At the very moment Labour are riding high he makes a senseless decision like this. Sawing off the very branch he is sat on.

Anyone from Politics Joe care to say how many Immigrants we can reasonably take. Currently 7million, do you want 80 million?

We need a new progressive party in this country so I hope the Unions that matter and MP’s switch allegiances as soon as possible.

Labour and conservative parties are more aligned than not, so it doesn't make a difference to british politics who wins between them. This is evidenced, for example, by how the Israel lobby has pernicious influence/hold over both conservative and labour parties as reported in the following videos by 'declassified UK': kzfaq.info/get/bejne/qNCle5mQ0MyXdaM.htmlsi=E_QycTAC1ndZq90H kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fLlig9V2mq3Wpas.htmlsi=JTRxIpI-ksvR-L6Z kzfaq.info/get/bejne/nJlhbLyqu56toI0.htmlsi=ksMc3WQC6JfSodYd kzfaq.info/get/bejne/bLyqmbajzbStZGg.htmlsi=cBjIVLrp57OnRKuy

I don't understand why you guys in the media have bought into the most obvious Conservative spin on this. Elphicke is already an MP... She was either in parliament taking the Conservative whip or in parliament taking the Labour whip. Her defection is a swing of 2 in Labour's favour and every story should have been how this is a positive for Labour but you've all latched on to the Conservative spin (which they were lining up to feed you). If she were running in the next election, this kind of story would make total sense and everyone should be outraged but she's not, which means the only downside for Labour is you guys being thick as mince.

Thank you politics Joe time to unsubscribe you are happies with labour unelectable and not capable of implementing anything. Sneering commentary is such a turn off particularly because there is no evidence that you understand the issues that need fixing

Nah it won't. I feel like it's a bit sketchy but outside of those of use who actually follow politics ie. The majority of the electorate ,it probably looks like a power move. We can all be Owen Joneses later. For now we need Tories out and a competent cabinet.