![Christian Wakeford MP (centre)](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/61e82d862000005da18d7b03.jpg?cache=zHv23u63XC&ops=scalefit_720_noupscale)
A Conservative MP has defected to the Labour Party amid fury over Boris Johnsonâs partygate scandal.
Christian Wakeford - a âred wallâ MP elected in 2019 - crossed the floor to join Keir Starmerâs party just minutes before prime ministerâs questions.
Labour MPs cheered and whooped as Wakeford took a seat on the opposition benches wearing a Union Jack face mask. It is the first defection from the Tories to Labour in 15 years.
It comes after the MP for Bury South branded the partygate scandal âembarrassingâ in a series of damning comments last week.
Wakeford is thought to be among at least ten Tories elected in 2019 who have submitted letters of no confidence in Johnsonâs leadership.
![The moment Christian Wakeford crossed the floor](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/61e802ab20000034908d7a47.gif?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale)
The outspoken MP, who has a majority of 402, hit the headlines during the so-called âsleaze scandalâ when he called the Tory MP at the epicentre of the crisis Owen Paterson a âc***â.
And in a candid letter today, Wakeford told Johnson: âMy decision is about much more than your leadership and the disgraceful way you have conducted yourself in recent weeks.â
Wakeford wrote: âFrom today I will be sitting as the Labour MP for Bury South because I have reached the conclusion that the best interests of my constituents are served by the programme put forward by Keir Starmer and his party.
âMy decision is about much more than your leadership and the disgraceful way you have conducted yourself in recent weeks.â
- Christian Wakeford's letter to Boris Johnson
âI care passionately about the people of Bury South and I have concluded that the policies of the Conservative government that you lead are doing nothing to help the people of my constituency and indeed are only making the struggles they face on a daily basis worse.â
Wakeford went on to say the country needed a government focused on tackling the cost of living crisis and a path out of the pandemic.
And in another barb aimed at the prime minister, the MP added: âIt needs a government that upholds the highest standards of integrity and probity in public life and sadly both you and the Conservative Party as a whole have shown themselves incapable of offering the leadership and government this country deserves.â
![Christian Wakeford MP for Bury South](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/61e7f29c2000005da18d79f7.jpeg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale)
Wakeford said he had âwrestledâ with his conscience for âmany monthsâ but had decided: âI can no longer support a government that has shown itself consistently out of touch with the hard working people of Bury South and the country as a whole.â
Leader of the Labour Party Starmer was noticeably buoyed as he kicked off todayâs PMQs.
âI would like to welcome Christian Wakeford to the Labour Party. He has always put the people of Bury South first,â Starmer said in a statement.
âAs Christian said, the policies of the Conservative government are doing nothing to help the people of Bury South and indeed are only making the struggles they face on a daily basis worse.
âPeople across Britain faces a cost of living crisis but this incompetent Tory government is asleep at the wheel, distracted by a chaos of its own making.
âI would like to welcome Christian Wakeford to the Labour Party.â
- Keir Starmer
âMeanwhile families, businesses and pensioners are suffering from the Conservative failure to tackle rising food, fuel and energy prices.
âLabour are the only ones who have put forward a plan to help people through the Tory cost of living crisis.
âIâm determined to build a new Britain which guarantees security, prosperity and respect for all and Iâm delighted that Christian has decided to join us in this endeavour.â
âWe will win again in Bury South.â
- Boris Johnson
Johnson hit back at Starmer, telling him: âThe Conservative Party won Bury South for the first time in a generation under this prime minister on an agenda of uniting and levelling up and delivering for the people of Bury South. We will win again in Bury South.â
Meanwhile, culture secretary Nadine Dorries said Wakeford âhas yet to realise that the Union Jack mask he is wearing to cross the floor to Labour, is not welcome on that side of the houseâ.
MPs from the 2019 intake were said to have met yesterday to discuss Johnsonâs future in a gathering dubbed the âpork pie plotâ because of the alleged involvement of Melton Mowbrayâs MP Alicia Kearns.
![Labour MPs cheer as Keir Starmer welcomes Christian Wakeford](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/61e82e4b2000006aa18d7b07.jpg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale)
The group appear to have lost faith in the PM, after he admitted attending a âbring your own boozeâ event in the Downing Street garden during Englandâs first coronavirus lockdown.
Johnson made another grovelling apology yesterday in which he repeatedly claimed he thought the garden party at Downing Street was a âwork eventâ and suggested ânobody told meâ it broke lockdown rules.
However, Johnsonâs bid to placate party and public appeared to only ramp up fury from his own benches.