Tory minister says he ‘won’t lose sleep’ over MP Dan Poulter’s defection to Labour as left-wingers slam Keir Starmer for bringing in an ‘active opponent of working-class interests’ [Video]

11:54 EDT 28 Apr 2024, updated 13:42 EDT 28 Apr 2024

A Tory minister swiped that he ‘won’t lose sleep’ today after the defection of an MP to Labour.

Chris Philp played down the impact after Dan Poulter, a former health minister and part-time doctor, crossed the floor.

The move was timed to inflict the maximum possible damage on Rishi Sunak ahead of local elections on Thursday – where the Conservatives are braced for a bloodbath.  

Dr Poulter said the Tories were ‘failing’ the health service and that he could no longer ‘look my NHS colleagues in the eye’ as a Conservative.

However, while Keir Starmer trumpeted the defection, left-wingers were less happy. Corbynite pressure group Momentum branded Dr Poulter an ‘active opponent of working-class interests’.