London24NEWS

The letter Tory candidates are scared of – ‘throwing us underneath a bus’

Labour has got under the skin of Tory candidates by sending out letters from defector Natalie Elphicke.

Voters in Red Wall seats are receiving election messages from the former Conservative MP for Dover. She switched sides last month after becoming frustrated with Rishi Sunak’s failure to stop dangerous Channel crossings.

Alexander Stafford, who is seeking re-election in Rother Valley, tweeted: “It’s one thing betraying your principles, but another to throw your friends under a bus. The population of the Ninth Circle has increased today.”

In the letter Ms Elphicke warns that “Rishi Sunak has failed on illegal immigration”. She adds: “As the former Conservative MP for Dover, I have witnessed his failure firsthand and so have my constituents. I could not, in good conscience, represent a party that was failing the British people on such an important issue. That’s why I left the Conservative Party and joined Labour.”






Natalie Elphicke and Keir Starmer


Natalie Elphicke joined Labour last month
(
PA)






Alexander Stafford is scared of losing his seat


Alexander Stafford is scared of losing his seat
(
Internet Unknown)

Ms Elphicke highlights how this year is “on course to break all records for illegal boat crossings”. “Open borders and criminals running riot, that’s the Conservative’s legacy,” she goes on. “Make no mistake, the Rwanda scheme won’t fix this. It is a gimmick. Designed to waste millions of pounds of your money and deliver nothing but empty headlines. You deserve so much better.”

The letter sets out how “Labour has a plan to fix this… A plan we can have confidence in”. Keir Starmer has said he will set up a new Border Security Command and smash the criminal gangs by using counter-terror style tactics. Labour also is promising as 1,000-strong Returns and Enforcement Unit to remove failed asylum seekers.

Ms Elphicke writes: “I have seen the Labour Party transform under Keir Starmer. He is a patriot and cares deeply about fixing the big issues facing our country. This General Election will be one of the most important for a generation. We have the opportunity to change the future of the country. I hope that you will be able to join me and vote Labour on 4 July.”