I think everyone - regardless of their political leanings - can agree that any sitting MP that decides to switch sides has not only betrayed his party but, more importantly, his constituents. Of course, it was too good a photo opportunity for Sir Keir not to welcome him in, but he would have gone up tenfold in my estimation if he'd told Wakeford to pi 55 off
What people often forget is that our 'rigid' party political system is a very recent invention. When you vote, you vote for an individual not a political party. De Pfeffel's great hero Churchill crossed the floor a number of times.
Maybe creates a problem at the GE too. The Tories took Bury South by about 400 votes. Almost certain to return to Labour with any swing to them. Now, if Wakeford stands again, the voters there have a reason to oppose the Labour candidate.
Well, well, well: Full details of Wragg's complaint given in twitter thread. EDIT: Sorry, Wragg's statement is just too good not to publish:
I personally wish we could go back to this. People now tend to vote for the rosette and leader rather than the candidate. It's why we have such poor MPs imho. Unfortunately the common perception is that people are voting for the party and leader now so it is unfair for MPs to cross the floor imo.
Apparently the whips are keeping an eye on Graham Brady's office too so they can see who is putting in their letters. It's supposed to be a confidential process. What they are doing amounts to intimidation to me.
It’s quite disgusting, but this is par for the course with phoney ‘levelling up’ where poor constituencies are punished for voting Labour and now for voting for the wrong Tory. For this alone Johnson should be out on his ear and facing investigation.
Well today's news cycle has had a minute change from Savid Javid starting the day going on about how the defection has actually strengthened de Pfeffel's position to Wragg's letter. AND IT'S NOT EVEN MIDDAY!!!!!!!!!!!
Video here of statement to government rep (Barclay) and CS rep... It's the gift that keeps on giving!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think they may be true in local elections but in general elections I'm sure most people put their 'x' against the party they want to run the country rather than the individual representing it.
Generally, yes, but there are sometimes particularly popular cnstituency MPs who are elected on that basis, not party.
Wakeford was also pretty clear in his previous opposition to MPs changing sides (he wanted it legislated against). He’s a hypocrite.
Yes, he should have declared himself as an 'independent' and stand at the next GE as a Labour candidate. Although 'officially' electors are voting for 'the candidate' everyone knows it is (at best) a mix of 'candidate + party'.
Sadly I think that's probably getting rarer. People are so polarised in their views these days it would be difficult to imagine someone (let's call him, say, 'Mr Moose') voting Tory at a GE on the basis that the Conservative candidate in his constituency is a good bloke
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/christian-wakeford-tory-whips-school-b1997183.html "Whips threatened to cancel new school." I suppose by revealing this it will be quite difficult for them to now do it.
Agreed. I’d rather stick matches under my fingernails and set light to them while jabbing needles in my eyeballs.
If true, it’s the height of cnutishness. Either a community needs a school or it doesn’t. It should never be held to ransom to protect the PM’s interests.
I'm sure we have discussed this previously. I don't think it was about the PM's personal interests, more the putative government position. Not that this makes it right, of course.
Have these criminal ****s ****ed off out of our government yet? What a total farce the whole situation is.
