Angela Rayner said that Natalie Elphicke would not play any formal role other than that of a member of the Labor Party
Angela Rayner privately assured Labor MPs say Natalie Elphicke will have no «official role» in the party as she distances herself from the Tory defector, The Telegraph can reveal.
Hours after Ms Elphicke crossed the aisle to join Labour, Ms Rayner, the party's deputy leader, played down the idea that the Dover MP would play a key role in setting the policy direction.
It was clear that Ms Elphicke would not be holding a formal role advising on housing policy, an area that Ms Rayner oversees in her role as shadow community secretary.
The message appears to contradict indications from senior Labor insiders — and Ms Elphicke's own defection announcement — that the new Labor MP will help shape the party's approach to housing.
It was delivered to a dozen Labor MPs at an internal parliamentary committee meeting at 2pm on Wednesday, just two hours after the surprise defection at Prime Minister's Questions.
A parliamentary source familiar with the meeting said: “Angela recognized her [Ms Elphicke's] experience in housing finance and her support for Labor Party housing policy. But the key point was that she clarified that Natalie would have no formal role other than being just a substitute player.»
In her resignation letter, Ms Elphick said: «I am honored that I was asked to work with Keir and the team to help build the homes we need.»
The news comes amid growing backlash from the Labor left and prominent women in the party over the defection of Ms Elphicke, who had been in the party. right of the Tory party.
On Thursday, after criticism from her new party colleagues, Ms Elphicke apologized for comments she made in support of her ex-husband after he was found guilty of sexual assault abuse.
In 2020, Charlie Elphicke, Ms Elphicke's ex-husband and predecessor as MP for Dover, was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women and sentenced to two years in prison.
Although she ended the marriage following his conviction, Ms Elphick supported his unsuccessful appeal, saying he was «attractive and attracted to women» and «an easy target for dirty politics and false accusations». Jess Phillips, a Labor MP, called on Ms Elphicke to «account for her actions».Ms Elphicke said: “The period from 2017 to 2020 was incredibly stressful and challenging for me as I learned more about the person I thought I knew. I know that it was much more difficult for women to live through their experiences and testify against him.
“I have previously condemned and condemn his behavior towards other women and towards me. It was right that he was brought to justice and I apologize for the comments I made about his victims.»
In a short interview with the BBC, Ms Elphicke later said she was «very interested » working with the Labor Party leadership to tackle violence against women and girls.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Labor leader, will try to capitalize on Ms Elphicke's change by unveiling a new package of measures to tackle illegal migration in his constituency on Friday. . When she was a Conservative MP, she championed a tougher stance on small boat border crossings, criticizing Sir Keir for promising to scrap deportation flights from Rwanda.
The Telegraph understands that at least two members of Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) will call for Ms Elphicke to be stripped of the party whip when they next meet on May 28.
Jess Barnard, Labor NEC member , told The Telegraph: “I'll definitely bring that up… I think she should remove the whip. A second NEC member said «no one is happy» about the defection.
Removing the whip would mean Ms Elphicke could not continue as a Labor MP and would instead have to go independent.
Kevin Mills, leader of Dover District Council's Labor Party, said he was in «total shock» when Ms Elphicke's defection to Labor was announced at midday on Wednesday.
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