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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Toby Helm and Michael Savage

Conservative defector to Labour ‘was bitter at not getting ministerial job’

Natalie Elphicke
Natalie Elphicke, the MP for Dover, defected to Labour last week. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Tory defector Natalie Elphicke stormed out of the party and joined Labour because she was “bitter” about being denied a ministerial job in charge of housing policy, senior Conservative sources have told the Observer.

It is understood that Elphicke was considered for a government job first by Liz Truss when she became prime minister in 2022 but was not in the end given a post. Elphicke then made clear her ambition to become a minister under Rishi Sunak, but again was unsuccessful.

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