British Member of Parliament Dan Poulter has switched allegiance from the ruling Conservative Party to the opposition Labour Party, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of forthcoming local elections.
Sunak’s Conservatives are currently trailing Labour by approximately 20 points in opinion polls, heightening the significance of Poulter’s defection as it strategically targets the government’s vulnerabilities just before the local votes.
Poulter cited the government’s handling of the National Health Service (NHS), a cornerstone of Sunak’s agenda, as the primary reason for his departure from the Conservative ranks. In an article published in the Observer newspaper, Poulter emphasized, “It is abundantly clear to me that the Labour party alone has the will and the trust to restore and reform the NHS.
That’s why we need a Labour government.” He also announced his intention to step down at the upcoming election.
Labour leader Keir Starmer welcomed Poulter’s move, hailing it as a testament to Labour’s growing appeal among voters seeking meaningful change.
Starmer remarked, “Across the country more and more people are switching to Labour because they know only this changed Labour Party can deliver the change Britain needs.”
Poulter becomes the second Conservative lawmaker to defect to Labour since the previous election, following Christian Wakeford’s switch in 2022.
Sunak, grappling with plummeting poll ratings attributed to the legacies of Johnson and Truss, has struggled to rejuvenate Conservative fortunes.
He has attributed setbacks, including the disruption caused by strike action among health workers, to his administration’s efforts to alleviate hospital waiting lists.
However, Poulter criticized the government’s handling of these disputes, accusing it of prioritizing ideology over practical solutions and leaving patients to suffer the consequences.
Responding to Poulter’s defection, a Conservative spokesperson expressed disappointment on behalf of his constituents and defended the government’s NHS policies, asserting, “What Dan says is wrong as Sir Keir Starmer has no plan for our NHS.”