Keir Starmer ignores Labour fury as he parades Tory defector Natalie Elphicke ... trends now
Keir Starmer ignored Labour fury over Natalie Elphicke's defection today as he paraded her at a speech.
Sir Keir was introduced by his new MP as he pushed his plans for a 'Border Security Command' to tackle the Channel boats crisis during a visit her Dover constituency.
'It's fantastic to be in your constituency, welcome to the Labour Party,' he said.
The body will bring together key agencies including MI5, the National Crime Agency, Immigration Enforcement and the Crown Prosecution Service. It would mark the first time that MI5 agents have been deployed in this way on the problem.Sir Keir insisted that the issue of boat crossings must be tackled 'upstream', mocking Rishi Sunak for trying to 'build a wall' in the Channel. Highlighting his experience as a former Director of Public Prosecutions, he said that there should also be new counter-terror style powers to shut off internet access and close bank accounts of suspected people-smugglers.'We will secure Britain's borders. And we will also rebuild Britain's broken asylum system,' Sir Keir said.However, Government sources dismissed the plans for 'yet another Labour quango' as a 'rearranging of the bureaucratic deckchairs'.
Keir Starmer was introduced by Natalie Elphicke as he pushed plans for a 'Border Security Command' to tackle the Channel crisis during a visit to Dover
Sir Keir said: 'It's fantastic to be in your constituency, welcome to the Labour Party'
Keir Starmer (pictured with Natalie Elphicke) is announcing plans to create a 'Border Security Command' to tackle the small boats crisis
Government sources dismissed the plans for 'yet another Labour quango' as a 'rearranging of the bureaucratic deckchairs' (file picture of migrants trying to cross the Channel last month)
Sir Keir said he had 'smashed' terrorist gangs as head of the CPS and could do the same to smuggling gangs.
'I dragged my party away from the allure of gesture politics. And I will do the same for Westminster,' he said.
Ms Elphicke's dramatic crossing of the floor at PMQs on Wednesday has caused shockwaves through Labour.
She was considered on the right of the Tories, and previously slammed the Labour leader as 'Sir Softie' for his approach to Channel migration.
Sir Keir trumpeted the defection as evidence that Labour has broad appeal and can take on the Conservatives in their own core issues. Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting boasted overnight that the party is talking to more prospective switchers on the government benches, with Dan Poulter already having made the change a fortnight ago.
However, critics have accused Sir Keir of turning the party into a 'dustbin' for Conservative right-wingers - while even normally staunch supporter Lord Kinnock has warned he needs to be careful who to accept.
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