This is another morale boost for labour, more woe for the conservatives. Chris mason has our top story. Natalie elphicke, shoulder to shoulder with the Prime Minister when rishi sunak invited reporters to dover last summer to talk about stopping the boats. Less than a year later, she has stopped being a Conservative Mp. Look at the leader shes appearing with now. I must admit, when i got up this morning i didnt expect to hear this today. Natalie elphicke, the labour member of parliament for dover and deal. I think she speaks for very many tory voters in saying that the tory party has changed, it has left the centre ground. But equally the labour party has changed and we are very clearly the party of the national interest. Really good day. It has been a great day. Cue the mildly awkward first date with the cameras in tow vibes ahead of her criticism of their Prime Minister. He is not stopping the boats and he is letting the country down. Meanwhile, under labour, they are clear that it i
Hello, im christian fraser. Youre watching the context on bbc news. Electric car sales falter as a deadline for a ban on the sale of new Fossil Fuel Cars is extended. Natalie elphicke is the second conservative mp to defect to labour, in as many weeks. Her decision to defect was announced around 12pm just in time for sir keir starmer to bring it up at Prime Ministers questions. If one week a tory mp who is also a doctor says the Prime Minister cannot 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 . In a statement the dover mp said the conservatives under rishi sunak had become a by word for incompetence and division. This from someone who has long been preoccupied with the small boat crossings, many had thought her to be on the right of the conservative party. Dont trust labo