Such sentiments are not confined to the left, however. “She is no more a Labour MP now than she ever was,” another Labour MP on the right, granted anonymity to speak frankly, told POLITICO after Elphicke’s apology.
A third MP, who is a shadow minister, said: “Those who were already very unhappy about the defection are getting angrier.”
Kate Maltby, a commentator and anti-harassment campaigner, warned Starmer against “squandering” his chance to become the party of ethical standards.
Yet the Labour leader and his top team appear undeterred from staking their claim to the moral high ground, with Shadow Commons Leader Lucy Powell due to give a speech Tuesday accusing the Tories of “downgrading and degrading” trust in politics.
According to one member of the Women’s Parliamentary Labour Party Whatsapp group, several people posted messages expressing outrage at the Sunday Times revelations then swiftly deleted them — apparently wary of the messages being leaked.
It seems that even those in the party who have serious concerns about decisions made by the leadership have learned to prize unity, or the appearance of it, above all else — meaning that for now, Starmer seems free to befriend whom he likes.
