A Brief History of Defections
| Date | 01 December 2019 |
| Published date | 01 December 2019 |
| DOI | 10.1177/2041905819891373 |
| Author | Paula Keaveney |
DECEMBER 2019 • POLITICAL INSIGHT 35
In early September 2019, Prime Minister
Boris Johnson was on his feet in a
crowded Commons when Dr Philip
Lee entered the chamber. Lee had
been a Conservative MP since 2010. But Lee
did not take his place on the government
benches. Instead he sat down beside a
pair of Liberal Democrats. the doctor had
‘crossed the floor’.
Defections are often among the most
dramatic moments in British politics. They are
usually carefully orchestrated for maximum
eect. Lee’s move to the Lib Dems was
accompanied by a public statement and lots
of media work. Crossing the oor also takes
great secrecy. Surprise is everything.
In today’s volatile political environment,
party loyalty is not what it was. Although
defections are still relatively rare, they are
becoming more common. As party positions
A Brief History
of Defections
British politics has seen a spate of high-profile recent
defections. Why do politicians leave their parties? How do they
fare in their new homes? Paula Keaveney looks back on a long
– and not always happy – history of political defections.
shift and the whips lose some of their power,
we can expect to see more departures and
welcomes. Shortly after Philip Lee’s move,
another Tory MP, Sam Gyimah, announced
his defection to the Liberal Democrats at the
party’s conference.
For committed politicians, making a break
is hard. And parties receiving the recruits are
taking a risk. So what does it take for the deal
to stick?
The Velcro factor
The story of then Conservative MP Emma
Nicholson’s defection to the Liberal
Democrats in 1995, as told by the late Lord
Ashdown, reads like a spy thriller. There
© Press Association
Political Insight December 2019.indd 35 05/11/2019 10:15
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