The defection of Natalie Elphicke looks like a short term mistake by Starmer. I don’t think this is because voters dislike defectors as Opinium note ‘The public lean towards believing that letting in Dan Poulter was the right decision (28% right vs 21% wrong), but tend to think it was the wrong decision to let in Natalie Elphicke (16% right vs 33% wrong)’ although that might be down to the fact Dan Poulter is a doctor and everybody loves a doctor whilst Natalie Elphicke is Labour’s most right wing MP since Oswald Mosley.

That said since the Elphicke defection has been a boon to Starmer’s rating’s as they improve by 8 and with more defectors in the pipeline the Elphicke defection could prove to be flotsam and jetsam in the grand scheme of things.

The Shadow Health Secretary says One Nation Tories he is speaking to face a dilhemma – do they "stay and fight" to turn their own party around?

Or do they "roll up their sleeves" and join Labour?

My full interview with Wes Streeting is in this week's Sunday @Telegraph

— Camilla Turner (@camillahmturner) May 19, 2024

TSE