Streeting squirms as Kuenssberg demands to know if MP defector will get peerage | Politics | News [Video]

Wes Streeting refused to rule out whether their latest MP, Tory defector Dan Poulter, was offered a spot in the House of Lords for his help dealing a blow to Rishi Sunak this week.

Mr Poulter, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich since 2010, shocked Westminster yesterday when announcing he is defecting from the Tories to Labour.

Amid rumours the back-stabbing MP could be given a spot in the House of Lords for helping Labour, Mr Streeting failed to categorically rule out any such offers.

Laura Kuenssberg probed: “Did Labour offer any future baubles to Dan Poulter to get him to defect?”

Dodging the question, Mr Streeting said the Suffolk MP “has been very clear he’s going back to the NHS full-time, he’s not standing for Parliament at the next election”.

“This idea that he’s just abandoning the sinking Conservative ship to save himself is nonsense.”

Dissatisfied with the answer, Ms Kuenssberg tried …