Dan Poulter, Tory MP, defects to Labour

Just had a look at his voting record and he shouldn't be anywhere near the Labour party.

Strange time to make the shift too, are the candidates for his constituency not already sorted?

I'm assuming it's a ploy to remain an MP...
 
Easy to be cynical and I don’t know the bloke that well or even care but it can’t be a ploy

A. He’s stepping down and

B despite their shocking poll standing the Tory will get in in that constituency I would have thought. If not it would be Lib Dem. No chance Labour wins it.
 
Never trust a politician but in this case Id be prepared to say well done for having the courage of his convictions. Clearly he hasnt done it to further his political career.
 
Zoophonic said:
Easy to be cynical and I don’t know the bloke that well or even care but it can’t be a ploy

A. He’s stepping down and

B despite their shocking poll standing the Tory will get in in that constituency I would have thought. If not it would be Lib Dem. No chance Labour wins it.
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Agree but Libdem wont get in. Labour have a better chance there. Too many Essex and Suffolk brexiteers. Not LibDem country. If there is a concerted effort to get Tories out the LibDems vote for Labour.
 
Now the dust has settled it's clear he defected now to damage Sunak, as quid pro quo to Starmer for agreeing to use him as an NHS advisor in the incoming labour government.
 
Even more cynical then. If he didn't want to be a Tory for the remainder of this parliament he could have resigned the whip and become independent.

He cares so much about the NHS he's been part of a government that has done no end of damage.

Playing games while real people suffer. Typical Tory.
 
Scrote said:
Even more cynical then. If he didn't want to be a Tory for the remainder of this parliament he could have resigned the whip and become independent.

He cares so much about the NHS he's been part of a government that has done no end of damage.

Playing games while real people suffer. Typical Tory.
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Do you not think it sends a bigger statement, him crossing the floor?
 
SmallTown said:
Do you not think it sends a bigger statement, him crossing the floor?
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Not really no. The Tories are very unlikely to win the next election and, with rumours that it'll be called tomorrow, it just looks like more self-serving cynicism from a typical Tory.

If he cared at all about the NHS why is he a Tory MP in one of the most destructive Tory governments?

If he genuinely feels he now belongs in the Labour party then how does that look to people who want to vote Labour based on traditional Labour values?

Starmer would be far better advised to use the defection as a stick to beat Sunak with but refuse the whip because Tory values shouldn't be compatible with Labour values.
 
Scrote said:
Not really no. The Tories are very unlikely to win the next election and, with rumours that it'll be called tomorrow, it just looks like more self-serving cynicism from a typical Tory.

If he cared at all about the NHS why is he a Tory MP in one of the most destructive Tory governments?

If he genuinely feels he now belongs in the Labour party then how does that look to people who want to vote Labour based on traditional Labour values?

Starmer would be far better advised to use the defection as a stick to beat Sunak with but refuse the whip because Tory values shouldn't be compatible with Labour values.
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That was my worry, he's seen a slow and steady dismantling of the NHS. Yet now he decides to jump. Makes me worry about what he has just seen, what are the Tories going to do to step up their destruction?
 
SmallTown said:
That was my worry, he's seen a slow and steady dismantling of the NHS. Yet now he decides to jump. Makes me worry about what he has just seen, what are the Tories going to do to step up their destruction?
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He's a doctor who presumably talks with colleagues in the industry who are suffering with overwork , lack of resources etc. Odd yes that he has suddenly had an epiphany given he has supported the Government for all thee years. What's changed recently?
 
From labours perspective it doesn't really matter that poulter has defected from the tories. It matters that Labour have a senior NHS employee who can talk about how the tories have decimated the NHS and do so with, seeming, inside knowledge that cuts through the tory narrative that they are spending more on the NHS than any previous government.

It has nothing to do with poulters ideology.
 
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