LONDON — Former Conservative MP Dan Poulter Defects to Labour
In a riveting exclusive TV interview with the BBC’s Sunday hosted by Laura Kuenssberg, former minister and Conservative MP Dan Poulter announced his decision to defect to the Labour party. Poulter, who represents Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, cited his inability to continue as a Conservative while maintaining his integrity as a doctor working part-time in the NHS.
He expressed his disillusionment with the Conservative party’s shift away from prioritizing public services, stating that he could no longer align himself with their values.
Despite just informing Downing Street of his decision, there has been no official response from the government yet.
Poulter disclosed that he intends to serve as a Labour MP until the upcoming general election, after which he plans to step down. In his interview with the BBC, he emphasized the ethical dilemma he faced, stating, “I found it increasingly difficult to look my NHS colleagues in the eye, my patients in the eye, and my constituents in the eye with good conscience.”
Highlighting the change in the Conservative party’s stance on public services, he remarked, “The difficulty for the Conservative Party is that the party I was elected into valued public services… it had a compassionate view about supporting the more disadvantaged in society. I think the Conservative Party today is in a very different place.”
Poulter, who previously served as a health minister during the coalition government, expressed no ill will towards Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. However, he stressed the urgent need for a general election, asserting his belief that Labour, under the leadership of Sir Keir Starmer, is better equipped to manage the NHS and lead the country.
Sir Keir welcomed Poulter’s decision to join Labour, declaring, “It’s time to end the Conservative chaos, turn the page and get Britain’s future back.”
When asked about potential backlash from his constituents, who elected him as a Conservative, Poulter explained his rationale for staying on until the end of the Parliament, rather than triggering a by-election. He acknowledged that his defection marks only the third instance of a Conservative MP switching parties since 2019, following Lee Anderson and Christian Wakeford. Anderson briefly sat as an independent before joining Reform last month, while Wakeford left the Conservatives for the Labour Party in 2022. — BBC
