Labour defends welcoming rightwing Tory MP Natalie Elphicke into party – UK politics live

Ms Elphicke has defected hitting out at the “broken promises of Rishi Sunak’s tired and chaotic Government”.

The Dover MP astonishingly crossed the floor in the Commons just moments before Prime Minister’s Questions.

She said in a statement: “I have carefully considered this decision. The change has been dramatic and cannot be ignored.

“For me key deciding factors have been housing and the safety and security of our borders.”

The move has been hit at from all sides, with MPs slamming Sir Keir Starmer for welcoming the right wing politician with open arms and Tory members branding the decision “idiotic”.

Despite ferocious criticism, Labour has defended Ms Elphicke and said it is “happy” to have the Tory MP on board.

In a new humiliating blow for Rishi, Ms Elphickle joins Dr Dan Poulter and Christian Wakeford in joining the opposition.

The walk-out was took place during the first face off since last week’s local election results, where Sir Keir Starmer hit out at the Conservatives for losing nearly 500 council seats in last week’s elections.

Key Points

• Sunak and Starmer clash in first PMQs since Tory local election

• Natalie Elphicke crosses floor in dramatic defection to Labour before PMQs

• Labour defends welcoming Natalie Elphicke to party

• Suspended Labour MP gets whip back

• Senior Russian diplomat expelled from UK over spying

Tuesday 7 May 2024 16:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Live: Grant Shapps updates MPs after Ministry of Defence data breach

Britain ‘implores’ Israel to reopen border crossings into Gaza

Tuesday 7 May 2024 16:14 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Britain is “imploring” Israel to reopen border crossings into Gaza, including Rafah, to ensure humanitarian aid can get though, a foreign minister has told Parliament.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon also echoed concerns over the threat of a military offensive on the southern city, where around half the population are children.

The Tory frontbencher said: “We are imploring Israel to ensure that the crossings that were shut are opened immediately, including in Rafah.”

He revealed the Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron had spoken to the president of Israel on Monday morning.

Lord Ahmad said: “We do believe this is an escalation which needs to be immediately resolved. Because there are now 600,000 children in Rafah, almost 50% of Rafah is children. We need to ensure their safety and security and at the moment we have not been reassured at all in terms of any detail of plans as to where these people would move.”

He added the suggested place of evacuation was “pretty barren land”.

Holyrood votes for SNP leader John Swinney to be Scotland’s next first minister

Tuesday 7 May 2024 16:19 , Andy Gregory

Members of the Scottish Parliament have voted for new SNP leader John Swinney to be Scotland's next first minister, succeeding Humza Yousaf who formally resigned from the post earlier on Tuesday.

Mr Swinney won the backing of 64 MSPs, with his nearest rival Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross picking up 31.

It comes just eight days after predecessor Humza Yousaf announced he was stepping down, after his decision to terminate the powersharing agreement the SNP had with the Scottish Greens at Holyrood left him facing a vote of no confidence in his leadership.

Tuesday 7 May 2024 16:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Government has been pressed over the use of British troops to distribute aid in Gaza once a maritime supply route had been established.

Tory former Cabinet minister Lord Clarke of Nottingham said: “We are very near to the prospect of aid being delivered by sea once the Americans have finished the construction of a quay that they are undertaking.

“Has the Government made any progress in reassuring us about the orderly distribution and safe distribution of aid by that route when the quay is ready?

“And what is the Government’s present position on direct British involvement including the use of British troops if necessary to try to work to get proper distribution of that aid to the people we hope will be able to receive it?

Responding, foreign minister Lord Ahmad said: “On the issue of safe distribution within Gaza that is a key component of this.”

He stressed the need to ensure the safety of aid workers who had “the expertise”.

Lord Ahmad added: “We are looking at all of the dynamics on the best way to support a British operation in support of this international effort.”

Shapps apologises to armed forces personnel

Tuesday 7 May 2024 17:06 , Joe Middleton

Defence secretary Grant Shapps apologised to the armed forces personnel affected by the Ministry of Defence cyberattack.

Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday afternoon, he said: “I want to apologise for the men and women affected – it should not happen.”

He added that the plan to fix the system means it will not happen again.

Cyberattack was work of ‘malign actor,’ Shapps says

Tuesday 7 May 2024 17:09 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Grant Shapps said the hacking of the Ministry of Defence “was the suspected work of a malign actor” but added “we cannot rule out state involvement”.

The defence secretary said the cyberattack shows the UK is facing “rising and evolving threats” adding: “The world is becoming somewhat more dangerous.”

Up to 272,000 personnel affected by cyberattack

Tuesday 7 May 2024 17:33 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Up to 272,000 service personnel may have been hit by the data breach, Grant Shapps told MPs.

He set out an eight-point plan to support and protect those potentially affected.

The Cabinet minister declined to identify the culprit, telling the Commons: “For reasons of national security, we can’t release further details of the suspected cyber activity behind this incident.

“However, I can confirm to the House that we do have indications that this was the suspected work of a malign actor and we cannot rule out state involvement.”

He also said: “We’ve launched a full investigation, drawing on Cabinet Office support and specialist external expertise to examine the potential failings of the contractor and to minimise the risk of similar incidents in the future.”

Initial investigations have found no evidence that any data has been removed, but affected armed forces personnel have been alerted as a precaution.

John Healey flags ‘serious concern’ cyberattack was reported in media before Parliament was updated

Tuesday 7 May 2024 18:03 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Shadow defence secretary John Healey has said there will be “serious concern” that news of a cyberattack was reported in the media before Defence Secretary Grant Shapps was able to update Parliament.

He told MPs: “My overriding concern is for the safety of serving personnel and veterans affected. Worried about the risk to them and their families, hearing first about the data being hacked from the media and not from the MoD (Ministry of Defence).”

He added: “On the contractor, Defence Business Services say Shared Services Connected Limited (SSCL) has the MoD contract for core payroll and other business services. How many contracts does SSCL or its parent company Sopra Steria have with the MoD? What action has been taken by other government departments with similar SSCL contracts?”

Mr Healey further stated: “The media have clearly been briefed that China is behind the hack but the Defence Secretary only tells us about a malign actor. Now, the Government rightly has a very rigorous system before official accusations or attributions are made but if this deep data breach is found to be carried out by a hostile state, it would represent a very serious threat to our national security.”

Mr Shapps replied: “The media release last night was coincidental and unwelcome as far as we were concerned. Unfortunately, of course, a lot of people were involved in this. (Mr Healey) asked how many; 272,000 is the number of personnel who have been affected.”

He further confirmed that SSCL was the contractor involved and that a “full review” has been ordered of their work within the MoD.

Tory MP wonders if he is the ‘most hacked MP in Britain'

Tuesday 7 May 2024 18:33 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Tory MP Bob Seely (Isle of Wight) said it was “a little frustrating” to hear his information could be compromised and wondered if he is “the most hacked MP in Britain”.

He said: “I would like to thank the minister for his call this morning, it is a little frustrating to be told that one’s bank details and National Insurance number are winging their way to Beijing or wherever they’ve gone.

“And considering I was also caught up in the Ipac breach, I’m wondering if I’m currently in the running to be the most hacked MP in Britain.”

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps responded: “I want to thank him for his service and I’m sorry he had to receive that phone call about what’s happened.

“I want to stress, actually, that we do not believe the data has necessarily been stolen, so there’s a danger here of just running a couple of steps ahead.

“What we’ve done is to respond with the eight-point plan as if it has been stolen, because we think that that is the best position to put everybody, himself included, in given the seriousness of this potential breach.”

Labour questions continued arms exports to Israel with Rafah humanitarian crisis

Tuesday 7 May 2024 19:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

David Lammy moved Labour closer to calling for an outright ban on arms sales to Israel as the row over the Middle East crisis exploded in the House of Commons.

With Labour under pressure from its own MPs and activists to take a harder line against Israel on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Mr Lammy used an urgent question to ratchet up his party’s position.

It follows concerns in the party leadership that Muslims and others are not voting Labour because of its position on the conflict.

Our political editor David Maddox has more:

Labour questions continued arms exports to Israel with Rafah humanitarian crisis

MoD cyberattack: Three-week hacking operation ‘by China’ exposed details of 270,000 armed forces personnel

Tuesday 7 May 2024 19:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The hacking attack on the British military by China was massive in scale, with 270,000 serving personnel, as well as reservists and veterans, from all three services affected.

The Special Forces have not been caught up in the breach, as they use a different, more secure system, but it remains unclear whether members of the Intelligence Corps, part of the army, are among those whose personal details may have been taken.

It is believed the hacking operation has been going on around three weeks, but was discovered last week after investigators started tracking “a pattern of unusual activity”.

Cyberattack ‘by China’ exposed details of 270,000 UK armed forces personnel

Former armed forces minister calls for government to stand up to China

Tuesday 7 May 2024 20:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Former armed forces minister Mark Francois called for the Government to stand up to China and said soldiers will feel “disrespected” that the Government will not confirm that Beijing is responsible for the hack.

The Conservative MP (Welwyn Hatfield) said: “This will be very worrying for service personnel, their families and veterans. And they’ll be disrespected that the Government seems to have briefed that it was China overnight and then not had the nerve to confirm that in the House today, because someone rang up from the Foreign Office and said ‘don’t do that’.

“When oh when are we going to start standing up to the Chinese in a way that they are clearly not frightened to stand up to us?”

Mr Shapps said: “I want to make it absolutely clear to the House, we did absolutely everything we could to avoid this being made public until I had the opportunity to come to this House.

“We proactively endeavoured to ensure that our own approach towards removing the data from being online, closing that system down, ensuring the personnel were paid, making sure that the alternative payments system were in place for expenses and other things, and all of that could happen, ideally, before we came to this house.

“We most certainly did not wish to see or brief out the story. Unfortunately, because there are a large number of people potentially impacted it was almost impossible for people not to go and then talk about, and I believe that’s how it’s come into the public domain.”

Pollsters tell Sunak he is wrong over ‘hung parliament’ prediction

Tuesday 7 May 2024 20:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Pollsters have dismissed Rishi Sunak’s claims that his party still has a fighting chance with a general election likely to produce “a hung parliament“, writes our political editor David Maddox.

The prime minister is set to try to persuade MPs tomorrow that the result will be closer than many people predict at the first of two briefing sessions on the local elections alongside his party chairman Richard Holden and head of election strategy Isaac Levido.

The session will include a full assessment and breakdown of what the disastrous local election results mean after the Tories lost almost 500 council seats, the Blackpool South by-election and, most devastatingly, the West Midlands mayor.

Pollsters tell Sunak he is wrong over ‘hung parliament’ prediction

Senior Tories call for tougher action on China following MoD cyberattack

Tuesday 7 May 2024 21:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Senior Tories have called for tougher action on China after speculation that Beijing is responsible for a large-scale cyberattack on the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

While the government has said that state involvement cannot be ruled out, it declined to identify the culprit and said it cannot release further details “for reasons of national security”.

Former leader of the Conservative Party Sir Iain Duncan Smith urged the government to put China in the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.

The Conservative MP (Chingford and Woodford Green) asked: “Why in heaven’s name don’t we take the decision to place this malign actor into that enhanced place and then make sure we deal with them accordingly?”

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Alicia Kearns called on the government to “get the Foreign Office changing our position” on China.

Mark Francois, former Armed Forces minister and chair of the European Research Group, called for the Government to stand up to China, and accused the Foreign Office of being behind the Government’s refusal to name the malign actor in this latest cyber attack.

Tobias Ellwood says new rules should be drawn up on how to respond to cyberattacks

Tuesday 7 May 2024 22:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood (Bournemouth East) told MPs that the world is changing, with the “digital terrain being as important as the physical”, and that new rules should be drawn up on how to respond to cyberattacks.

The former defence minister said: “Had this been a physical, a kinetic attack on MoD main building, this place would be demanding some form of proportionate response.

“Indeed, you could even argue that that would be a Nato Article 5 situation.”

He added that the Rules of Engagement in the Geneva Conventions are “out of date” and that “we need to address errant nations are held to account and what constitutes a proportionate attack”.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps responded: “He’s right that people, in some sense, differentiate between an attack which is a physical one and an attack which is a cyber attack, but both can be incredibly serious and have enormous consequences.

“I want to stress in this case, because we do not believe that the information has in fact been stolen and, because we’re monitoring it through these eight different measures very carefully, there is a degree of ‘we’ve caught it and controlling it’. But his wider point is, of course, absolutely correct.”

Labour questions continued arms exports to Israel with Rafah humanitarian crisis

Tuesday 7 May 2024 23:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

David Lammy moved Labour closer to calling for an outright ban on arms sales to Israel as the row over the Middle East crisis exploded in the House of Commons.

With Labour under pressure from its own MPs and activists to take a harder line against Israel on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Mr Lammy used an urgent question to ratchet up his party’s position.

It follows concerns in the party leadership that Muslims and others are not voting Labour because of its position on the conflict.

Labour questions continued arms exports to Israel with Rafah humanitarian crisis

Wednesday 8 May 2024 00:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Watch: Tory MP Paul Scully says he expects Labour to win general election

Fury as Green Party member quits London Assembly just three days after being elected

01:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The former leader of the Green Party has sparked fury after quitting the London Assembly just three days after being re-elected to her seat.

Sian Berry, who is standing to become an MP for the Greens in Brighton this year, passed the role to the party’s mayoral candidate, Zoe Garbett, instead.

It means Ms Garbett, who received 9,646 votes in the London mayoral contest, will take Ms Berry’s place in the London Assembly without the need for a by-election.

Fury as Green Party member quits London Assembly just three days after being elected

State involvement in MoD cyber attack cannot be ruled out, Grant Shapps says

02:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Grant Shapps has said that “state involvement” in the large-scale cyber attack on the Ministry of Defence (MoD) cannot be ruled out amid speculation China carried out the hack.

The Defence Secretary said there is evidence of “potential failings” of the contractor operating the payroll system that was hacked, “which may have made it easier for the malign actor” to gain access to the bank details of service personnel and veterans.

Labour’s shadow defence secretary John Healey named the contractor as SSCL.

State involvement in MoD cyber attack cannot be ruled out, Grant Shapps says

Muslim group issues 18 demands for Keir Starmer to win back voters lost over Gaza

03:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A Muslim campaign group has issued Sir Keir Starmer with 18 demands in order to win back support lost due to his stance on Israel’s war in Gaza.

The Muslim Vote, which aims to organise voters against MPs who did not back a ceasefire in the conflict, has called for the Labour leader to apologise for his early stance on Israel’s campaign against Hamas.

And it has urged Sir Keir to promise to cut military ties with Israel and let Muslims pray in schools and for Labour figures to return “zionist money”.

Muslim group issues 18 demands for Keir Starmer to win back voters lost over Gaza

Youngest ever MSP opens up about ‘toxic’ and ‘adversarial’ culture at Holyrood

04:13 , Shweta Sharma

Ross Greer, the youngest ever Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) to be elected, says Holyrood has become “much more toxic” in recent years, as he complained that homophobic abuse has become “considerably worse”.

Mr Greer, the Scottish Greens member who was 21 years old when he first became an MSP, told how he had been “patronised” by those outside of Holyrood because of his age and had also suffered from “much more serious homophobic abuse”.

He spoke out on the issue to the PA news agency in the wake of the 25th anniversary of MSPs first being elected in 1999.

The Greens, which will celebrate his 30th birthday next month, said: “The ageism stuff I find very silly.

“I get much more serious homophobic abuse, and that has got considerably worse in the last couple of years.

“Scottish politics and Scottish society in general is a worse place for LGBT people than it was five years ago.”

Mr Greer said: “Certainly the parliament as an institution has become a much more toxic and adversarial place, it is mimicking a lot of the behaviours of Westminster that it was designed specifically to reject and to be an alternative to.”

His comments came as he hit back at those who say Scottish politics has focused too much on “woke issues”, such as gender identity.

Rachel Reeves says government ‘gaslighting’ public about economy

04:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves will accuse the government of “gaslighting” the public about the economy, saying ministers’ over-optimistic statements are “out of touch” with Britons still struggling with the cost of living.

The Labour frontbencher will seek to get ahead of the Tories’ response to a raft of economic data this week, arguing that Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak’s likely message of an improving economy is “deluded”.

In a speech in the City of London on Tuesday, she will say voters at the general election have a choice between “five more years of chaos” with the Tories or “stability” with Sir Keir Starmer’s party.

Rachel Reeves says Rishi Sunak government ‘gaslighting’ public about economy

John Swinney to be sworn in as new first minister of Scotland

05:30 , Shweta Sharma

John Swinney will be sworn in as the new first minister of Scotland on tomorrow and is expected to appoint his Cabinet on the same day.

The ceremony at the Court of Session in Edinburgh will involve the Perthshire North MSP making his statutory declarations, after which he will be granted his official title of first minister and keeper of the Scottish Seal.

He pledged to devote himself to the job after winning a Holyrood vote meaning he will become the seventh person to be first minister since the Scottish Parliament was established 25 years ago, following an unopposed selection process a week after predecessor Humza Yousaf resigned.

Mr Swinney said it was an “extraordinary privilege” to become Scotland’s new first minister as he pledged to “give everything I have” to the role.

He shook hands with opposition leaders in the chamber at the Scottish Parliament after the vote.

Mr Swinney told the other parties at Holyrood: “If we want to fund our schools and hospitals, if we want to give our businesses a competitive edge, if we want to take climate action, if we want to eradicate child poverty, if we want to change people’s lives for the better, we have got to work together to do so.”

But he said he would “give all of my energy and my willingness” to achieve this, committing to be “the first minister for everyone in Scotland”.

Jim Wallace says Halyrood needs ‘significantly more’ MSPs

06:00 , Shweta Sharma

Former Scottish deputy first minister Jim Wallace has said the number of MSPs at Holyrood “needs to be looked at again”.

The former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader played a key role in determining the number of MSPs who would sit in the Scottish Parliament when it was established back in 1999, being involved in negotiations with Labour’s George Robertson on the matter.

But with Holyrood now having increased responsibilities - including powers over income tax in Scotland and social security - Lord Wallace, who was Scotland’s first deputy first minister, now believes “significantly more” MSPs are needed.

The Liberal Democrat, who served as an MP before joining the Scottish Parliament when it was established, told how during his time at Westminster he had been involved in discussions about how the new parliament would operate.

“I think now the Parliament requires significantly more, it has more responsibilities, not least for tax and social security.

“I think 129 needs to be looked at again.”

He said Labour had acted “unilaterally” to hold a referendum on whether the devolved parliament should be established - with Liberal Democrats at the time opposed to such a ballot.

However, Lord Wallace said: “In retrospect, it was probably the right thing to do. Because I think it gave the Parliament a political grounding which once done you can never roll back.”

Top EU politician who survived Iran assassination plot delivers ‘end appeasement’ plea to Cameron

06:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A senior EU politician who survived a shocking assassination attempt last year has asked parliamentarians to tell foreign secretary Lord Cameron to end Britain’s “appeasement of Iran”.

Spanish politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras, the former first vice president of the European Parliament, was in London today to talk to MPs and peers about the need to proscribe Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).

But attempts for him to meet a minister fell on deaf ears.

Read more here:

Iran assassination plot survivor delivers ‘end appeasement’ plea to Cameron

Potential Tory contender steps up pressure on Sunak to curb ‘disastrous’ immigration

07:00 , Shweta Sharma

The former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has called on the government to “undo the disastrous post-Brexit liberalisations” that “betrayed” the public’s wish for lower immigration before the general election.

He had put forward more than 30 recommendations to curb migration in a Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) report he co-authored.

The proposals include capping health and care visas at 30,000, scrapping the graduate route for international students, and indexing salary thresholds for visa routes in line with inflation.

It argues that net migration needs to be wound back to “the tens of thousands”.

Mr Jenrick, who is seen as a potential Tory leadership contender, argue that large-scale migration has failed to deliver significant fiscal benefits while putting pressure on housing, public services and infrastructure.

Mr Jenrick said: “It would be unforgivable if the Government did not use the time before the general election to undo the disastrous post-Brexit liberalisations that betrayed the express wishes of the British public for lower immigration.

“The changes we propose today would finally return numbers to the historical norm and deliver the highly-selective, highly-skilled immigration system voters were promised. These policies could be implemented immediately and would consign low-skilled mass migration to the past.

“Immigration is consistently one of the top concerns of voters and they deserve a department whose sole mission is controlling immigration and securing our borders. For far too long, the Home Office has proven incapable of doing that.”

Penny Mordaunt claims Tory election win ‘not impossible’ if civil war ends

08:16 , Matt Mathers

Penny Mordaunt gave a speech in central London last night warning the Tory MPs that their factionalism is the main reason Labour is expected to win the general election.

The leader of the House of Commons recently dismissed claims that she is positioning herself as a unity candidate to replace Rishi Sunak as leader.

Full report:

Penny Mordaunt claims Tory election win ‘not impossible’ if civil war ends

We’re alingned with voters, minister insists after Tories' local election drubbing

08:24 , Matt Mathers

The Conservatives are aligned with the priorities of the British public, a cabinet minister has insisted despite the party’s drubbing in last week’s local elections.

Claire Coutinho, the energy secretary, conceded the results were “disappointing” but said the Tories have a “positive message” they want to outline to the public.

Asked if the party needed to shift to the right after losing hundreds of councillors last week, Ms Coutinho told Times Radio: “I think what we need to do is to go where the country is.”

She added: “They want us to be tough on immigration. They want us to be cognisant of the fact that they’ve had a difficult time when it comes to public finances, which is why we’re putting forward £900 of tax cuts.

“They want us to make sure that we’re protecting their security, which we are when it comes to defence, when it comes to energy as well.

“I would just have contrast with some of Labour’s positions, when it comes to their mad energy plans which will hike up people’s bills and heap costs on people, with the 75 new business regulations which will deter investment at a time when we need investment coming into this country and on things like immigration where they don’t have a plan at all.”

Gove invokes Kate Moss as he warns Tories against ‘comfort eating’ on hard-line policies

08:41 , Matt Mathers

Michael Gove told his colleagues “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” as he invoked supermodel Kate Moss to warn against “comfort eating” on hard-line policies.

The secretary of state for housing and communities comments came during Tuesday’s cabinet meeting - the first since the Tories lost nearly 500 councillors in last week’s local elections drubbing.

He urged cabinet ministers not to pursue policies that “make us feel good,” The Times reported. But not everyone agreed, with Chris Heaton-Harris, the Northern Ireland secretary and Alister Jack, the Scotland secretary, raising concerns about the direction of their party.

“I disagree with you. We shouldn’t be apologists for what we believe in,” the latter said.

ICYMI: Pollsters tell Sunak he is wrong over ‘hung parliament’ prediction

09:27 , Matt Mathers

Pollsters have dismissed Rishi Sunak’s claims that his party still has a fighting chance with a general election likely to produce “a hung parliament.”

The prime minister is set to try to persuade MPs tomorrow that the result will be closer than many people predict at the first of two briefing sessions on the local elections alongside his party chairman Richard Holden and head of election strategy Isaac Levido.

Full report:

Pollsters tell Sunak he is wrong over ‘hung parliament’ prediction

‘United fans, look away now'

09:43 , Matt Mathers

Rishi Sunak teased Manchester United fans yesterday while on a visit to Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace defeated United 4-0 on Monday.

“United fans, look away now,” the prime minister wrote on X.

“Fantastic to meet the @PalaceForLife team at @CPFC today.

“Football changes lives and it’s great to see initiatives like this bringing communities together.”

Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick urges Rishi to win back ‘on strike’ voters

09:59 , Salma Ouaguira

Rishi Sunak needs to win back Tory voters who have gone “on strike” because of the failure to curb immigration and tackle extremism, former minister Robert Jenrick said.

The Prime Minister needs to ensure Conservatives who stayed at home rather than vote in the local elections came back to the ballot box at the national contest later this year.

The Newark MP, who has produced a paper on measures to curb net migration, said: “What I’ve tried to set out are a series of policies that could be implemented before the general election, such as what I’m saying today on legal migration, which would convince some of those Conservative voters – who are essentially on strike – to come back and support the party at the general election.

“And also to persuade some of those voters who are considering voting Reform that we do care about the issues that they do, which are principally immigration, but also on crime, on extremism and on lower taxes.

“But that will require honesty, it requires levelling with the public about the mistakes of the past and using every last minute we have in office before the general election to actually deliver positive change for the public.”

ICYMI: Mel Stride dodges question over NHS waiting lists as he’s grilled on benefits crackdown

10:15 , Matt Mathers

Mel Stride dodges NHS waiting list question as he’s grilled on benefits crackdown

John Swinney takes the oath as Scotland’s first minister

10:47 , Salma Ouaguira

The Perthshire North MSP has officially become Scotland’s seventh first minister after pledging his alliance to the king.

The ceremony was presided by Lord President Lord Carloway at the Court Session in Edinburgh.

Swinney, 60,  has now the authority to make decisions and lead the country with the support of the Scottish parliament.

He attended the ceremony with his wife Elizabeth, his 13-year-old son Matthew and brother David.

Mr Swinney said it is an “extraordinary privilege” to become Scotland’s new First Minister as he pledged to “give everything I have” to the role, after winning the selection process on Tuesday.

Rachel Reeves says Tories are ‘gaslighting’ Britain over the economy. What would Labour do?

11:10 , Matt Mathers

Keir Starmer has promised a ‘decade of renewal’ but his chancellor will have a hard job funding it, says Sean O’Grady.

Read the piece in full here:

Reeves says Tories are ‘gaslighting’ Britain over the economy. What would Labour do?

Workers Party Monty Panesar withdraws from general election

11:39 , Salma Ouaguira

The former England cricketer  has revealed he is stepping down to reconsider his personal and political values.

Panesar was set to stand for George Galloway‘s Workers Party at the general election.

He was due to rival Labour in the Ealing, Southall seat in west London, which currently boasts a majority of 16,084.

PMQs starting shortly

11:50 , Matt Mathers

Good afternoon and welcome to The Independent’s live politics coverage.

We’ll bring you all the action as Sunak and Starmer face off at the first Prime Minister’s Questions since the local elections.

You can also watch it live on our YouTube channel (link below).

Stay tuned for all the latest updates from Westminster and elsewhere.

Watch live as Sunak faces Starmer at first PMQs after Tory local election losses

12:02 , Matt Mathers

Tory MP Natalie Elphicke has just crossed the floor ahead of PMQs to defect to Labour

The session has now started.

Rishi Sunak faces questions over vaping

12:05 , Salma Ouaguira

SNP Kristen Oswald asks the Prime Minister about youth vaping.

Sunak responds the government “should do more to tackle vaping”.

He adds advertising of vapes is already restricted on TV and radio.

Starmer welcomes Elphicke to Labour

12:13 , Matt Mathers

Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed Natalie Elphicke to Labour, asking Rishi Sunak "what is the point of this failed government staggering on" when "the Tory MP for Dover on the front line of small boats crisis says the Prime Minister cannot be trusted with our borders and joins Labour".

Keir Starmer slams Rishi for election losses

12:14 , Salma Ouaguira

The opposition leader has joked that Rishi Sunak is already preparing to lose the next election.

The Labour leader suggested the prime minister was prepping for opposition, when he would ask the questions

“He is getting ahead of himself asking me questions”, he joked at PMQs

Keir Starmer slams ‘Tory amnesty for asylum seekers’

12:18 , Matt Mathers

Sir Keir Starmer has attacked Rishi Sunak for offering amnesty to asylum seekers, saying tens of thousands of small boat migrants would spend their entire lives in British hotels at the taxpayer’s expense, Archie Mitchell reports.

“The prime minister’s grand plan would take over 300 years to remove them all,” the Labour leader said.

“It is absurd to call it anything other than an amnesty by the Tory Party, isn’t it?” he added.

Mr Sunak said small boat crossings had fallen by a third since he became prime minister, despite the numbers this year being at record highs.

Statement from new Labour MP Natalie Elphicke

12:19 , Tom Barnes

Natalie Elphicke, who has defected from the Conservative Party to Labour, has released a statement on her decision to cross the floor.

She said: "Today I announce that I have decided to join the Labour Party and that I will sit in Parliament as a Labour MP.

"When I was elected in 2019, the Conservative Party occupied the centre ground of British politics. The party was about building the future and making the most of the opportunities that lay ahead for our country.

"Since then, many things have changed. The elected Prime Minister was ousted in a coup led by the unelected Rishi Sunak. Under Rishi Sunak, the Conservatives have become a byword for incompetence and division. The centre ground has been abandoned and key pledges of the 2019 manifesto have been ditched.

"Meanwhile the Labour Party has changed out of all recognition. Since 2019, it has moved on from Jeremy Corbyn and now, under Keir Starmer, occupies the centre ground of British politics. It has accepted Brexit and its economic policies and defence policies are responsible and can be trusted.

"Most significantly for me, the modern Labour Party looks to the future - to building a Britain of hope, optimism, opportunity and fairness. A Britain everyone can be part of.”

Natalie Elphicke said the Tories have ‘abandoned’ their manifesto

12:20 , Salma Ouaguira

In a statement Natalie Elphicke said that when she was elected in 2019, the Conservative Party “occupied the centre ground of British politics”, Kate Devlin reports.

Now, she said, “the centre ground has been abandoned and key pledges of the 2019 manifesto have been ditched”.She also praised a “changed” Labour Party.

“The modern Labour Party looks to the future – to building a Britain of hope, optimism, opportunity and fairness. A Britain everyone can be part of”.

She also said she had “carefully considered” her decision and that “from small boats to biosecurity, Rishi Sunak’s government is failing to keep our borders safe and secure.”

‘How many times do the public need to reject him?’ Starmer jibe at Sunak

12:21 , Salma Ouaguira

Sir Keir Starmer has asked how many times the public and Tory MPs need to reject Rishi Sunak before he takes the hint.

The Labour leader said he has been on the receiving end of some of the biggest by-election swings in history.

Sir Keir also pointed to the loss of 1,500 Tory councillors, half of the Conservative party’s mayor’s and Mr Sunak’s leadership election loss to Liz Truss, who the Labour leader called “a lettuce”.

“How many more times do the public and his own MPs need to reject him before he takes the hint?” Sir Keir said.

Mr Sunak accused Sir Keir of being “cocky” in the run up to the general election.

SNP urges PM to end arm sales to Israel

12:23 , Salma Ouaguira

SNP leader Stephen Flynn picks up the issue troubling many MPs - calling for an end to arms sales to Israel, David Maddox reports.

He congratulated new SNP Scottish First Minister Johnson Swinney, suggesting: “Our opponents should be careful what they wish for.”

Turning to Israel, he added: “As we await the imminent Israeli incursion into Rafah with 1.6 million children, it has been reported the US has paused an arms shipment. The UK will follow suit won’t it?”

Rishi Sunak rejects call to suspend arm sales to Israel

12:24 , Salma Ouaguira

Rishi Sunak has rejected calls to suspend arm sales to Israel, Kate Devlin reports.

The prime minister said that the UK operated “one of the most robust” licensing operations anywhere in the world.

And after the most recent assessment of Israel’s commitment to international law the situation is “unchanged”, he told MPs.

In full: Starmer welcomes Elphickle to Labour

12:26 , Matt Mathers

Sir Keir Starmer has warmly welcomed former Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke to the Labour benches.

Opening PMQs, the Labour leader said: “Can I also warmly welcome the new Labour MP for Dover (Natalie Elphicke) to these benches?

“If one week a Tory MP who is also a doctor says the prime minister can’t be trusted with the NHS and joins Labour, and the next week the Tory MP for Dover on the front line of the small boats crisis says the Prime Minister cannot be trusted with our borders, and joins Labour.

“What is the point of this failed Government staggering on?”

Sunak replied: “Can I join him in welcoming his newest MP for Blackpool, and I say he looks a lot happier than the member sitting there last week.

“Let me also join with him in congratulating all new and paying tribute to all former councillors, PCCs and mayors across the country. I hope his new ones do him as proud as I am of all of mine.

“Great leaders like Andy Street who leave behind a strong legacy of more homes, more jobs, and more investment, in sharp contrast to the legacy left by the last Labour government, which was a letter joking that there was no money left.”

PMQs analysis: Rishi Sunak is out of attack lines

12:27 , Salma Ouaguira

Rishi Sunak always has a smile on his face in PMQs but he has been forced to reach for old well worn attack lines to respond to Keir Starmer, David Maddox reports.

The claims that the Tories is “the only party of the motorists” and attacks on Labour London mayor Sadiq Khan all fell flat last week.

In reality he will struggle to explain the exodus of Tory MPs crossing the floor to Labour or the exit door with dozens announcing they will stand down at the next election.

Rishi calls Starmer a ‘virtue-signalling lawyer from north London'

12:31 , Salma Ouaguira

Starmer said the PM now had Labour representation at all of “the many places he calls home” after last week’s local elections.

Sir Keir said in PMQs: “The public keep telling (Mr Sunak), the voters tell him it’s not good enough, instead of listening he keeps telling them everything’s fine, if only they realise his greatness. He just doesn’t get it.

“But at least after Thursday night he can go to the many places that he calls home and enjoy the fruits of his success. In Southampton or Downing Street, he’s got great Labour councils. At his mansion in Richmond he can enjoy a brand new Labour mayor of North Yorkshire. At his pad in Kensington he can celebrate a historic third term for the Mayor of London.

“Now that he too could enjoy the benefits of this changed Labour Party, is he really still in such a hurry to get back to California?”

To which Mr Sunak replied: “I was, of course, surprised to see (Sir Keir) in North Yorkshire but probably not as surprised as he was when he realised he couldn’t take the Tube there.

“I can tell him that the people of North Yorkshire believe in hard work, secure borders, lower taxes and straight-talking common sense, they’re not going to get any of that from a virtue-signalling lawyer from north London.”

Tory right feels betrayed

12:34 , Salma Ouaguira

Rightwing Tories made it clear they feel betrayed by Natalie Elphicke who was seen as one of their wing of the party.

Dame Andrea Jenkyns, a Boris Johnson supporter, Tweeted: “@NatalieElphicke you were a centre right Conservative, Labour want to give asylum to 50,000 plus people. I thought you had more conviction than to join the lefty labour lot you despised so much!”

Elphicke told voters not to trust Labour on immigration just a year ago

12:35 , Matt Mathers

New Labour MP Natalie Elphicke wrote that Labour could not be trusted on immigration a little over a year ago.

Writing for the Daily Express, Elphicke said that the government’s ‘stop the boats’ bill was the only way to tackle illegal immigration.

She also accused the opposition of trying to “undermine” the government’s flagship immigration policy.

“The boats undermine our national security – because we have no ability to control who is arriving or prevent people who pose a threat to public safety,” she wrote.

“That’s why the government’s Stop the Boats Bill is so vital, and why Labour’s attempts to undermine it are so dangerous.”

In full: Sir Keir Starmer challenges Rishi Sunak to call a general election

12:36 , Salma Ouaguira

The Labour leader said removing 1% of asylum seekers isn’t stopping the boats but granting a Tory amnesty.

He added: “But if he thinks the voters are wrong, if he thinks his own MPs joining the Labour Party are wrong, if he thinks anyone believes any of the nonsense that he spouts, why doesn’t he put it to the test and call a general election?”

Mr Sunak replied: “He talks about removing people. This is a person who campaigned … to stop the deportation of foreign national offenders. It shows how out of touch his values are with the British people.

“It is yet another week where we hear nothing about his plan to do anything on the issues that matter to the country.”

After listing the Government’s steps to tackle problems in the NHS and migration, he added: “He snipes from the sidelines, the Conservatives are building a brighter future.”

More posts on X from Natlie Elphicke are being shared by Tory MPs

12:38 , Matt Mathers

Back in 2022 she warned of a "coalition of chaos" with Labour and the SNP, David Maddox reports.

She Tweeted: "At #PMQs today a very muddled and confused performance by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.

“A strong reminder that all the opposition offer is a Lib/Lab/SNP coalition of chaos that would take our country backwards on Brexit and break up the United Kingdom."

‘Dodgy salesman'

12:39 , Matt Mathers

In PMQs, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Rishi Sunak is a “dodgy salesman” as he pushed the prime minister on small boat crossings while Mr Sunak challenged Sir Keir to respond to comments made by newly re-elected London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Sir Keir told the Commons: “(He) has finally found something in common with the British public – no matter where he calls home all his neighbours are backing this changed Labour Party and they keep rejecting him because they have sussed him out.

“They know there’s nothing behind the boasts, the gimmicks, the smug smile. He’s a dodgy salesman, desperate to sell them a dud. 16 days ago, when he held a press conference claiming victory on Rwanda, he said the next few weeks will be about action. People want deeds, not words. So, let’s test that. How many small boat crossings have there been since he said that 16 days ago?”

Sunak said: “Just before we go into that, he talked about a changed Labour Party, he talks about it a lot, and he also talked about his new mayor in London.

“So, just this morning, we’ve learned that the Labour mayor in London believes – and I quote – that there is an equivalence between the brutal terrorist attack of Hamas and Israel defending itself. And, let me be crystal clear, there is absolutely no equivalence between a terrorist group and a democratic state.

“So can I ask (Sir Keir) now, will he take this opportunity to demonstrate that the Labour Party has changed, and will he condemn those comments from the Labour mayor?”

In full: SNP leader calls on UK to halt arms exports to Israel

12:52 , Matt Mathers

SNP leader in Westminster Stephen Flynn has called on the government to halt arms exports to Israel.

He said in PMQs: “As we await the imminent Israeli incursion into Rafah, where 1.2 million people are sheltering, including 600,000 children, it has been reported that the United States has paused an arms shipment to Israel. The UK will now follow suit, won’t it?

Sunak responded: “The UK government doesn’t, itself, directly provide or ship arms to Israel.

“When it comes to the situation in Rafah, I’ve been very clear that we are deeply concerned about a full military incursion in Rafah, given the devastating humanitarian impact. I’ve made that position and point specifically to prime minister Netanyahu whenever we’ve spoken and will continue to urge all sides to focus on the negotiations at hand to bring about a pause in the conflict to release hostages and get more aid in.”

Mr Flynn said: “We all know that UK arms and tech is supporting Israel’s activities in Gaza and will be used in any attack on Rafah. Knowing that, and the devastation that is going to occur, surely the time has come to end our complicity and end our arms sales to Israel?”

Mr Sunak responded: “We periodically review advice on Israel’s commitment to international humanitarian law and ministers always act in accordance with that advice. Our position with regard to export licences following the most recent assessment is unchanged.

Tory MP claims BBC and Channel 4 ‘masquerade’ as impartial

12:54 , Matt Mathers

Conservative MP Sir Philip Davies (Shipley) has accused the BBC and Channel 4 of “masquerading” as impartial.

He told the Commons: “Is the prime minister as appalled as I am at reports of militant civil servant, trade union, political activists, seeking to find ways not to implement the Rwanda deportations?

“Does he agree with me that if they are not prepared to implement the will of the government – an act of parliament that was passed by both Houses of Parliament – that they should conclude that perhaps being in the civil service is perhaps not for them?

“And maybe they can look for alternative employment at other left-wing organisations that masquerade as being impartial? Maybe they could try the BBC or Channel 4 news?”

Sunak replied: “My expectation is that civil servants will continue to be committed to supporting our priority of stopping the boats, and deliver in accordance with the civil service code.”

He added: “We are the only party that has a plan to stop the boats and we will face down all the obstacles in our way to deliver on this crucial priority for the British people.”

Watch: Starmer welcomes Natalie Elphicke after Labour MP deflects from Conservatives

13:00 , Matt Mathers

Elphicke won’t stand down until the general election

13:04 , Matt Mathers

Natalie Elphicke will not stand down as a Tory MP until the general election.

Labour has said it plans to stand its current candidate Mike Tapp, the FT’s Jim Pickard reports.

Elphicke defected to Labour just before PMQs.

Watch: Women terminating pregnancies because they cannot afford to feed children, MP claims

13:14 , Matt Mathers

Women terminating pregnancies because they cannot afford to feed children, MP claims

James Cleverly announces new sanctions against Russia

13:16 , Salma Ouaguira

The Foreign Secretary has unveiled new measures against Russia after five people were charged under the provisions of the National Security Act.

The men were accused of plotting an arson attack at a commercial property in London.

He said that the incident was part of “a pattern of suspected Russian activity across Europe”.

Cleverly said: “Since the invasions the actions and threats from Russia have only increase. These activities are designed by Russia to bring the war [in Ukraine] home across Europe.”

Who is Natalie Elphicke - and why did she defect from Tories to Labour?

13:17 , Matt Mathers

Tory MP Natalie Elphicke has defected from the party to Labour, heavily criticising the prime minister and her former party.

The MP for Dover hit out at the “broken promises of Rishi Sunak’s tired and chaotic government” in a statement issued moments before Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday. She then crossed the floor in the Commons to sit on the Labour benches for the first time.

But who is she and why is she defecting?

Who is Natalie Elphicke - and why did she defect from Tories to Labour?

No 10 hits back at Natalie Elphicke after defection

13:24 , Matt Mathers

No 10 has hit back at Natalie Elphicke after her defection from the Conservatives to Labour, Kate Devlin reports.

The prime minister’s press secretary said the Dover MP had to explain why she believes Labour hasnanplan given she has spent the last two years attacking their lack of a plan on small boats.

13:27 , Salma Ouaguira

Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker has jokingly hit out at Natalie Elphicke’s defection from the Tories.

Taking to social media, he said: “I have been searching in vain for a Conservative MP who thinks themself to the right of Natalie Elphicke.

“One just quipped: ‘I didn’t realise there was any room to her right.”

Starmer pictured with Elphicke after defection

13:43 , Matt Mathers

Sir Keir Starmer has been pictured with Natalie Elphicke after the Tory MP defected to Labour in a major blow to Rishi Sunak ahead of PMQs.

The Labour leader was pictured with his newest recruit in front of a bookcase at an office in Westminster.

The pair were seen in front of a Union Jack flag after shortly after Ms Elphicke defected, hitting out at the “broken promises of Rishi Sunak’s tired and chaotic government”.

Even Labour MPs know you can’t trust Labour to stop the boats - Tory HQ

13:46 , Matt Mathers

Conservative Party campaign headquarters has hit back at Natalie Elphicke’s defection to Labour, saying even Labour MPs know the party can’t be trusted to stop the boats.

The party tweeted an old article Ms Elphicke wrote for the Daily Express, in which she argued that Labour couldn’t be trusted to stop the boats.

Watch: Moment Tory MP Natalie Elphicke walks across Commons floor to join Labour minutes before PMQs

14:05 , Matt Mathers

Moment Tory MP Natalie Elphicke walks across Commons floor to join Labour

Rosie Duffield: At least one woman from Kent got a meeting

14:40 , Matt Mathers

Rosie Duffield has lashed out at Sir Keir Starmer for refusing to meet her, despite meeting defected Tory MP Natalie Elphicke at least twice, Archie Micthell reports.

The Labour leader has not spoken to Ms Duffield, who has suggested he has refused to meet her repeatedly.

But he has twice met with Ms Elphicke, a right-wing Conservative who has now joined the Labour ranks.

After the shock defection, Ms Duffield said: “Well, at least one woman from Kent got a meeting.”

She also joked that she was now no longer the only Labour MP in Kent.

Home Office to boot out Russian diplomat

14:45 , Salma Ouaguira

James Cleverly is set to expel a Russian diplomat for spying.

The move is part of a major package of measures following the “reckless and dangerous activities of the Russian government across Europe”, he said.

These include:

• Expelling Russian defense attache and undeclared military intelligence officers.

• Removing diplomatic premises status from Russian properties.

• Imposing tougher restrictions on Russian diplomatic visas.

Watch: Sunak tells Starmer he can be ‘as cocky as he likes’ after Tory election defeats

14:50 , Matt Mathers

Sunak tells Starmer he can be ‘as cocky as he likes’ after Tory election defeats

Audio of Reeves saying Elphicke can ‘f**k off’ resurfaces after defection

15:01 , Matt Mathers

An audio clip of Rachel Reeves appearing to say Natalie Elphicke can “f**k off” for criticising Marcus Rashford after he missed a penalty for England has resurfaced after the Dover MP defected to Labour.

Ms Elphicke had criticised England footballer and social campaigner Marcus Rashford in 2020 after his crucial penalty miss at the Euro 2020 final, messaging colleagues: “They lost – would it be ungenerous to say Rashford should have spent more time perfecting his game and less time playing politics.”

In the audio clip, Ms Reeves can be heard paraphrasing Ms Elphicke’s comments before saying she could “f**k off”.

Labour backlash over Natalie Elphicke’s defection

15:06 , Salma Ouaguira

Natalie Elphicke has caused a stir after crossing the floor to take a seat alongside Keir Starmer during today’s fiery PMQs.

But not everyone has welcomed the former Conservative MP for Dover and Deal with open arms.

Frustrated Labour supporters took to social media to vent out their disappointment.

Labour ‘safe heaven’ for Tories

15:19 , Salma Ouaguira

National Executive Committee member for Labour Mish Rahman has slammed the party for accepting Natalie Elphicke.

He questioned the former Tory member’s stand on Rwanda and said it is a “new low” for Starmer.

Tory minister sorry for e-gate airport chaos

15:41 , Salma Ouaguira

MP Tom Pursglove has apologised to passengers for Tuesday’s glitch that saw long queues and delays across UK airports.

He said the incident was caused by “technical issues within the Home Office network” after a cyber attack was ruled out.

Mr Pursglove said: “The relevant teams quickly swung into action, and a technical response was underway within six minutes. Once the fault was identified, officials worked closely with partners to rectify the problem and restore service.

“At this stage, I can assure the House and the wider public that all security checks were maintained throughout. Border security was not compromised at any point and there is no indication of malicious cyber activity. Police access to operational systems was unaffected.

“I sincerely apologise for the disruption that occurred. I can assure the House that the Home Secretary and I will be unswerving in our determination to ensure that every possible lesson is learned, to ensure that this does not happen again.”

Kate Osamor gets Labour whip back

15:55 , Salma Ouaguira

The MP for Edmonton was suspended after posting a message on Holocaust Memorial Day referring to other genocides.

After a huge wave of criticism, she tweeted an apology “for any offense caused” by her references.

The Labour party has now readmitted Osamor with the condition she engages with the local Jewish community.

A spokesperson said: “Kate Osamor’s original actions and non-apology were disgraceful and smeared the memory of all those who died in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Darfur, Rwanda and Bosnia, as commemorated by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. It is right that, as we understand,  she has received a formal written warning from the Labour Party.

“The onus is now on her to engage with her local Jewish community in Enfield and the wider community, properly. Given her previous record and comments in this area, this will require a sincere and honest approach. Until and unless this happens, the jury is still out.”

Labour defends taking Tory MP Natalie Elphickle on board

16:08 , Salma Ouaguira

Sir Keir Starmer is standing still behind the right wing MP Natalie Elphicke, despite the huge backlash from Labour members.

A Labour spokesperson told The Guardian: “It’s a sign of the progress that we’ve made that people recognise that on some of the key challenges facing the country, the Tories have failed.

“And here is someone who is willing to make the significant step of switching across to Keir Starmer’s changed Labour party, and that’s something we’re very happy to see.

“All of those issues have been dealt with previously, both in parliament and in public.

“Natalie can speak to her own remarks on that and she has spoken extensively about that case, and I don’t have anything to add to what she has said on that subject.”

UK should have been ‘ahead of the US’, ex-national security adviser says

17:00 , Salma Ouaguira

A former UK national security adviser has criticised Rishi Sunak for failing to suspend arms sales to Israel after the US paused a shipment of bombs overnight.

Lord Ricketts said it was a pity Britain had not taken a stand and should have been “ahead of the US” on the decision.

UK should have been ‘ahead of US’ in suspending arms sales to Israel

Who is Natalie Elphicke - and why did she defect from Tories to Labour?

17:37 , Salma Ouaguira

Tory MP Natalie Elphicke has defected from the party to Labour, heavily criticising the prime minister and her former party.

The MP for Dover hit out at the “broken promises of Rishi Sunak’s tired and chaotic Government” in a statement issued moments before Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday. She then crossed the floor in the Commons to sit on the Labour benches for the first time.

Who is Natalie Elphicke - and why did she defect from Tories to Labour?

Natalie Elphicke ‘nothing to do’ with Labour values, John McDonnell says

17:43 , Salma Ouaguira

The veteran Labour MP said he was left in “shocked” after Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the right wing MP into the party.

In a fresh wave of backlash, Mr McDonnell said the move could bring negative implications due to previous comments Ms Elphicke made on key political issues.

Speaking to LBC, he said: “It certainly is a stunt that damages the Tories, there’s no doubt about that, but it also has implications for the Labour Party as well, because of the views that Natalie Elphicke has expressed in the past, and some of which I don’t think the party should be associated with.

“Attacks on migrants, the support for the Rwanda scheme which Labour has opposed. Other things like can you remember when Rashford missed that penalty in the Euro matches and then she basically condemned him for playing politics, his campaign for free school meals, I thought that to be honest, has nothing to do with Labour values.”

Tory MP reveals Elphicke ‘despises’ what Labour stands for

17:53 , Salma Ouaguira

Natalie Elphicke is facing more backlash from former party colleagues after her astonishing defection.

Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick has weighted in saying the Dover MP previously slammed the party she is now backing.

He told Radio 4: “She’s joined a party which stands for all the things that she despises. I can’t count the number of times I’ve discussed with her in the past how concerned and fearful she would be of a Labour government and their open borders policy.”

Jackie Doyle-Price elected new chair of Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee

18:45 , Salma Ouaguira

Dame Jackie Doyle Price MP, said:“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to lead the Committee in its work examining constitutional issues and the quality and standards of public administration.

“Respect for our institutions of Government requires that we subject them to robust challenge. I look forward to chairing the Committee’s ongoing inquiries into the important constitutional issues of the day, including devolution capability in Whitehall, membership of the House of Lords, and Civil Service Leadership and Reform.

“I intend to use the time left in this Parliament to ensure that the necessary questions are asked to uphold good governance and appropriate cultural behaviour within the institutions of government.”

Comment: Elphicke’s defection was handled with brutal efficiency

19:20 , Salma Ouaguira

Labour’s latest defector makes an unlikely left-winger, but shows that Keir Starmer is totally ruthless, writes John Rentoul.

The move was a brutal operation to demolish Sunak’s crumbling power.

Natalie Elphicke’s defection was handled with brutal efficiency

Comment: The economy is getting better. Will it be enough to save the Tories?

20:05 , Salma Ouaguira

Thanks to the Liz Truss mini-Budget disaster, the Conservatives can no longer claim to be the party of economic competence, writes Andrew Grice.

But an election campaign based on the economy is still their best hope of avoiding annihilation.

Improving the economy will not save Rishi Sunak

Keir Starmer refuses to comment on Natalie Elphicke’s remarks about ex-husband’s victims

20:55 , Salma Ouaguira

Sir Keir Starmer declined to comment on Natalie Elphicke‘s past remarks about Charlie Elphicke‘s conviction for sexually assaulting two women.

Her then-husband, the former MP for Dover, was jailed for two years in 2020.

In an interview with The Sun, Ms Elphicke defended him, saying he was “attractive, and attracted to, women” and that that made him “an easy target for dirty politics and false allegations”, claiming he was the victim of a “terrible miscarriage of justice”.

When pressed on Ms Elphicke’s remarks on Wednesday, 8 May, the Labour leader declined to comment and said: “I’m delighted to welcome Natalie Elphicke to the Labour party.

“She’s got a strong track record on issues such as housing.”

Watch: Tory minister Laura Trott brands MP a ‘Brexit zombie’

21:40 , Salma Ouaguira

Tory minister Laura Trott branded an MP a ‘Brexit zombie’ during a heated Commons debate on car insurance prices on Wednesday (7 May).

Addressing the Commons, SNP MP Drew Hendry said: “Prices for car insurance have more than doubled in the UK compared to an 18 percent rise across the EU.

“What is the reason? Is it Brexit, shameless profiteering or has Westminster just given up on people in the cost of living crisis.”

“Why is the government doing absolutely nothing to hold insurance companies to account?

Ms Trott replied: “I think we’ve heard enough from the Brexit zombies.”

The Independent View: Catastrophic local election results reveal how futile it would be for Sunak to tack hard right

22:20 , Salma Ouaguira

The prime minister must not be seduced by the whisperings of his party’s extreme cabal – reclaiming the centre ground is his only salvation if he wishes to compete at the general election.

Catastrophic election results reveal how futile it would be for Sunak to tack right