batman
Labour
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Post by batman on Aug 22, 2023 8:10:00 GMT
Thought it might be quite interesting. Some politicians have retired, or been defeated, and ended up defecting to other parties out of parliament. Some went back to their original party e.g. Neville Sandelson who rejoined Labour under Blair. Some have been bizarre, others more understandable. Perhaps we should avoid people who have already been in another defections thread, for example Louise Ellman who recently rejoined the Labour Party, so I'm hoping for people who made these changes before Vote UK got going basically.
We could start with Alan Amos, Conservative MP for Hexham 1983 to 1987, who subsequently joined Labour, but later redefected to the Tories. I heard that Anthony Nelson, Conservative MP for Chichester from 1974 to 1997, also at one point joined the Labour Party. Of course some have gone in the other direction.
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Post by greenhert on Aug 22, 2023 9:39:55 GMT
Quite a few former SDP MPs ended up joining/returning to the Labour Party, including notably Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler, the only Conservative MP to defect to the SDP.
Humphrey Berkeley, Conservative MP for Lancaster from 1959 to 1966, stood for the Labour Party in October 1974 in North Fylde and then for the SDP in 1987 in Southend East.
Tony Clarke stood for the Green Party in Northampton North in 2015 having been Labour MP for Northampton South from 1997 to 2005.
Several ex-Conservative MPs stood for UKIP after leaving Parliament, including John Browne (Winchester, 1979-92), Christopher Murphy (Welwyn Hatfield, 1979-87), and Christopher Gill (Ludlow, 1987-2001). Aubrey Jones (Conservative, Birmingham Hall Green 1950-65) stood for the Liberals in Sutton Coldfield in 1983.
Dave Nellist (Labour, Coventry South East, 1983-92) has stood for Socialist Alternative/TUSC 6 times as a parliamentary candidate.
The list goes on and on.
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Post by matureleft on Aug 22, 2023 9:57:30 GMT
I seem to recall a Labour MP from the 1945-50 Parliament returning as a Tory years later.
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spqr
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Post by spqr on Aug 22, 2023 10:09:07 GMT
I seem to recall a Labour MP from the 1945-50 Parliament returning as a Tory years later. Presumably Evelyn King, who represented Penryn and Falmouth for Labour and later returned as Conservative MP for South Dorset (1964-79). Latterly a member of the Monday Club. |
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Post by finsobruce on Aug 22, 2023 10:14:52 GMT
I seem to recall a Labour MP from the 1945-50 Parliament returning as a Tory years later. Aidan Crawley - Labour MP for Buckingham (1945-51), Tory MP for West Derbyshire (1962-67).
Crawley lost Buckingham to the Conservative candidate Frank Markham, previously Labour MP for Chatham (1929-31) and National MP for Nottingham (1935-45)
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Post by mattbewilson on Aug 22, 2023 10:15:23 GMT
George Brown to SDP after he lost in 1970
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nodealbrexiteer
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non aligned favour no deal brexit!
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Post by nodealbrexiteer on Aug 22, 2023 10:17:13 GMT
George Brown to SDP after he lost in 1970 He endorse the Tories in 1979 didn't he? |
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Post by mattbewilson on Aug 22, 2023 10:18:35 GMT
Tom Harris to the Conservatives after he lost in 2015
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Post by finsobruce on Aug 22, 2023 10:21:40 GMT
George Brown to SDP after he lost in 1970 He hedged his bets even then, signing the Declaration for Social Democracy in 1981 but not actually joining the party publicly for another four years .
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spqr
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Post by spqr on Aug 22, 2023 10:23:52 GMT
In addition to Evelyn King, there were a few other notable Labour-to-Conservative defectors during the middle of the twentieth century (not all of whom were re-elected to parliament), such as: Jack Oldfield - Lab MP, South-East Essex, 1929-31; Con cllr., Kent CC, 1965-81 Frank Markham - Lab MP, Chatham, 1929-31; Con MP (following spell in National Labour), Buckingham, 1951-64 Aidan Crawley - Lab MP, Buckingham, 1945-51; Con MP, West Derbyshire, 1962-67 Lt-Col. Granville Sharp - Lab MP, Spen Valley, 1945-50; Con cllr., East Sussex CC, 1970-73, West Sussex CC, 1973-85 Reg Prentice was the last major Lab-Con defector of this period, although John Horam also did so via the SDP and a spell outside of the Commons. Richard Balfe is another interesting oddity: a Labour MEP who is now a Tory peer. Edit: I see that finsobruce beat me to it (or some of it, anyway). |
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Post by mattbewilson on Aug 22, 2023 10:26:00 GMT
In addition to Evelyn King, there were a few other notable Labour-to-Conservative defectors during the middle of the twentieth century (not all of whom were re-elected to parliament), such as: Jack Oldfield - Lab MP, South-East Essex, 1929-31; Con cllr., Kent CC, 1965-81 Frank Markham - Lab MP, Chatham, 1929-31; Con MP (following spell in National Labour), Buckingham, 1951-64. Aidan Crawley - Lab MP, Buckingham, 1945-51; Con MP, West Derbyshire, 1962-67 Lt-Col. Granville Sharp - Lab MP, Spen Valley, 1945-50; Con cllr., East Sussex CC, 1970-73, West Sussex CC, 1973-85 Reg Prentice was the last notable Lab-Con defector of this period, although John Horam also did so via the SDP and a spell outside of the Commons. Richard Balfe was another interesting oddity: a Labour MEP who is now a Tory peer. Edit: I see that finsobruce beat me to it (or some of it, anyway). there was a Sheffield MP who defected to the Tories after he was deselected in 1979 and his Independent Labour bid failed |
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Post by mattbewilson on Aug 22, 2023 10:27:56 GMT
Thelma Walker to NIP after 2019 defeat
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spqr
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Post by spqr on Aug 22, 2023 10:28:45 GMT
In addition to Evelyn King, there were a few other notable Labour-to-Conservative defectors during the middle of the twentieth century (not all of whom were re-elected to parliament), such as: Jack Oldfield - Lab MP, South-East Essex, 1929-31; Con cllr., Kent CC, 1965-81 Frank Markham - Lab MP, Chatham, 1929-31; Con MP (following spell in National Labour), Buckingham, 1951-64. Aidan Crawley - Lab MP, Buckingham, 1945-51; Con MP, West Derbyshire, 1962-67 Lt-Col. Granville Sharp - Lab MP, Spen Valley, 1945-50; Con cllr., East Sussex CC, 1970-73, West Sussex CC, 1973-85 Reg Prentice was the last notable Lab-Con defector of this period, although John Horam also did so via the SDP and a spell outside of the Commons. Richard Balfe was another interesting oddity: a Labour MEP who is now a Tory peer. Edit: I see that finsobruce beat me to it (or some of it, anyway). there was a Sheffield MP who defected to the Tories after he was deselected in 1979 and his Independent Labour bid failed You're probably thinking of Eddie Griffiths, who - along with Alf Robens, Dick Marsh, et al - endorsed Thatcher in 1979. He had been deselected by his CLP prior to the October 1974 election. |
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Post by finsobruce on Aug 22, 2023 10:32:22 GMT
George Brown to SDP after he lost in 1970 He endorse the Tories in 1979 didn't he? He had plans to stand in the 1979 Euro elections as an Independent, but backed out at the last minute. There are several references in the local (Derbyshire) press to him possibly being invited to join the Tories or endorsing them but I can't find anything definitive. |
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Post by finsobruce on Aug 22, 2023 10:39:19 GMT
I seem to recall a Labour MP from the 1945-50 Parliament returning as a Tory years later. Presumably Evelyn King, who represented Penryn and Falmouth for Labour and later returned as Conservative MP for South Dorset (1964-79). Latterly a member of the Monday Club. Not to be confused with...
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Post by jakegb on Aug 22, 2023 12:01:46 GMT
Medway MP Bob Marshall-Andrews
Lab to LD
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The Bishop
Labour
Down With Factionalism!
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Post by The Bishop on Aug 22, 2023 12:08:02 GMT
Edmund Marshall remained a Labour MP until his Goole seat was effectively abolished in 1983, but joined the SDP not long afterwards.
(he had been a Liberal candidate before entering parliament in a 1971 byelection)
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carolus
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Post by carolus on Aug 22, 2023 12:24:46 GMT
Winston Churchill
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batman
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Post by batman on Aug 22, 2023 13:49:21 GMT
George Brown to SDP after he lost in 1970 He endorse the Tories in 1979 didn't he? yes. He said that "Maggie Thatcher is closer to my kind of socialism than Jim Callaghan". What Margaret Thatcher made of this is not known. |
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batman
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Post by batman on Aug 22, 2023 13:52:02 GMT
Medway MP Bob Marshall-Andrews Lab to LD I have known him since childhood & when I most recently bumped into him I asked if he was still in the Lib Dems. "Yes, dear boy" he replied. "Party of the future." I don't think his wife Gill has joined him in this defection |
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