The Conservative leadership is braced for more defections to Labour amid claims that at least one former Tory minister has held talks with the Opposition over switching sides.
Rishi Sunak was rocked last week by the surprise decision from Natalie Elphicke, who became the second Conservative backbencher in as many weeks to quit the Tories to join Labour.
Ms Elphicke hit out at the Prime Minister’s “tired and chaotic government” and accused him of failing to deliver on his promise to “stop the boats”.
But the MP for Dover has come under significant scrutiny after it was alleged over the weekend that she attempted to lobby the then justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland to intervene in her former husband’s sexual assault trial.
The negative headlines have led to questions over Sir Keir Starmer’s judgement in allowing Ms Elphicke into the party, but sources on both sides of the divide have told i that the Labour leader is in talks with more Tories thinking of crossing the floor.
One senior Conservative said they had been informed by Labour that more defections were coming, but insisted that such moves “only made us come closer together as a party”.
Another Tory MP said: “The whips are keeping a close eye on things. But after Natalie anyone could be next. That was totally left field. It’s put us on our guard.”
A Labour source said that discussions, described as “very informal approaches”, had taken place between Sir Keir’s office and “several” unhappy Tory MPs, including a former minister over the past year.
According to reports at the weekend, as many as three Tory MPs were considering switching sides, which would dramatically undermine Mr Sunak’s authority ahead of a general election.
However, fresh divides are emerging within the Labour Party over the decision to accept Ms Elphicke into the fold after two Sunday newspapers carried allegations that she pushed the former Lord Chancellor to intervene in the case of Charlie Elphicke, who was subsequently sentenced to two years in prison for sexual assault offences.
Senior Whitehall sources were adamant that Sir Keir’s chief of staff Sue Gray, who until last year worked in the Cabinet Office, was aware of the allegations.
“Sue Gray knew all about this,” the source said. “She was obviously never appointed as a minister under Rishi, but Keir Starmer has chosen to put her name up in lights.”
Such attacks have prompted serious misgivings within the Labour ranks, particularly among women MPs, who feel the party leadership has made a mistake in accepting Ms Elphicke.
One veteran Labour backbencher told i: “A good number of us have deep concerns as it’s rumoured that more might come out about her. The revelations from Robert Buckland don’t do anything to quell concerns about her suitability to be even a member of the Labour Party let alone an MP for us or indeed any party.”
The source added that “lots” of Labour MPs have been feeding in their concerns both to the Labour leader’s office and the parliamentary committee last week.
Labour’s shadow Paymaster General Jon Ashworth defended Ms Elphicke, telling Sky News Ms Elphicke had denied the accusations and adding: “She said that is nonsense and not her interpretation of the meeting. I obviously wasn’t in the meeting so I don’t know.
“If this happened at the time, then why did the lord chancellor not raise this issue at the time through his good offices?”