David Cameron slams Labour for 'naked opportunism' in accepting Tory defector Natalie Elphicke as Foreign Secretary claims 'right-wing' Dover MP's switch shows Keir Starmer 'doesn't stand for anything'

David Cameron today slammed Labour for 'naked opportunism' in accepting Tory defector Natalie Elphicke into their party.

The Dover MP stunned Westminster by crossing the floor to sit on Labour's benches in the House of Commons just before Prime Minster's Questions on Wednesday.

But the move seems to have backfired on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, with his warm welcome for Ms Elphicke having sparked huge anger within his own party.

Labour MPs have criticised the decision to admit Ms Elphicke to Labour's ranks, citing her hardline views on immigration and previous support of her ex-husband. 

Following her defection, Ms Elphicke apologised for past comments in which she appeared to blame victims after Charlie Elphicke was convicted of sexual assualt.

It has since been claimed she attempted to lobby the justice secretary in 2020 to interfere in her then-husband's criminal trial.

Lord Cameron dodged questions this morning about those allegations, but claimed Ms Elphicke's defection showed Sir Keir Starmer's party 'don't stand for anything'.

Speaking to Sky News, the Foreign Secretary said: 'I'm not a fan of defectors. I took over from one in Witney and I think it always leaves a legacy of upset and betrayal, and everything else.

'I thought this was just naked opportunism, by Labour as much as anything.

'This is quite a right-wing Conservative MP suddenly welcomed into the Labour fold having never supported any of their policies, people or approaches.

'The revealing thing is it was like a moment when people  look at the Labour Party and think – 'if you don't stand for anything, then you'll fall for stuff like this'.

'I thought it was very revealing.'

His comments came after Sir Robert Buckland said Ms Elphicke approached him when he was justice secretary before the hearing of her ex-husband's case.

She allegedly told Sir Robert that it was unfair the case was the first to be heard at Southwark Crown Court after the Covid lockdown and that it was being overseen by Lady Justice Whipple.

Her comments were viewed as a bid to have the case moved to a lower-profile court to spare her partner public scrutiny, while another saw it as an attempt to replace the senior judge.

Sir Robert rejected her plea, suggesting his intervention could undermine the constitutional doctrine of the separation of powers between Parliament and the judiciary.

The Tory MP said: 'She was told in no uncertain terms that it would have been completely inappropriate to speak to the judge about the trial at all.'

Ms Elphicke's former husband and predecessor as MP for Dover was later convicted of sexually assaulting two women and jailed for two years.

She ended the marriage after his conviction but supported his unsuccessful appeal, saying Mr Elphicke had been 'attractive, and attracted to women' and 'an easy target for dirty politics and false allegations'.

Ms Elphicke allegedly also tried to secure him better prison conditions, asking for more comfortable pillows.

The new Labour MP denies the characterisation of the meeting with Sir Robert and that she asked for improved jail conditions.

A spokesman for Ms Elphicke said: 'This is nonsense. It's certainly true that Mr Elphicke continued to be supported after his imprisonment by a large number of Conservative MPs who had known him for a long time, including some who visited him and independently lobbied on his behalf, which was nothing to do with Natalie.'

A Labour Party spokesman said: 'Natalie Elphicke totally rejects that characterisation of the meeting.

'If Robert Buckland had any genuine concerns about the meeting, then he should have raised them at the time, rather than making claims to the newspapers now Natalie has chosen to join the Labour Party.'

On Thursday, Ms Elphicke said she condemned he ex-husband's 'behaviour towards other women and towards me', adding it was 'right that he was prosecuted' and she was 'sorry for the comments that I made about his victims'.

Labour backbencher Zarah Sultana today said she does not 'buy' Ms Elphicke's defection to her party from the Tories unless the Dover MP has 'had the biggest Damascene conversion ever'.

The Coventry South MP told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: 'I think it's great when people are moving towards the Labour movement and the Labour Party.

'Natalie Elphicke, however, is an interesting one because she is a former paid-up member of the ERG (European Research Group), she voted for Liz Truss in the leadership, she's at odds when it comes to fire-and-rehire, has attacked trade unions and their activities not great on the environment either.

'So unless she's had the biggest Damascene conversion ever, I just don't buy it.'

Ms Sultana added: 'And it's concerning as well in terms of conversations I've had within the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party), especially in the Women's PLP on the comments that she's made about her ex-husband and the trial.'