It is Natalie Elphicke’s misfortune that, despite her defection to Labour, she will principally be remembered for the sex scandal that brought down her husband and launched her own political career.
In 2017 her husband, Charlie, the MP for Dover, was accused of sex offences against two members of his staff and was suspended from the party.
From the outset she defended him, describing the manner of his suspension as a threat to British values and an injustice.
She even compared his situation to that of Carl Sargeant, the Welsh politician who committed suicide in 2017 after being told he faced unspecified claims about his behaviour.
When Charlie was charged with three counts of sexual assault in 2019, Elphicke put herself forward to succeed
