Constituents react after Dr Dan Poulter defects from Tory to Labour

News that the Suffolk MP Dr Dan Poulter has defected to Labour has met with a mixed reaction in his constituency.

The former minister and Conservative, who works as a part-time doctor, said the Tories were failing the thing he cared about most - the NHS and its patients.

The MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich has been a Tory MP for 14 years, and his change of heart was all people were talking about in the market town of Eye.

Sue Reeves, 81, said: “I didn’t have a very high opinion of him anyway and I’ve got a very low opinion of Labour at the moment. I used to be Labour, so good luck to both of them.”

Tony Diamond, 73, added: "What on earth is he doing in the House of Commons in the first place? Why did he want to become an MP? I’ve got no clue.”

Some of the shoppers out and about on a rainy Sunday morning felt Dr Poulter had betrayed his constituents by switching his allegiance.

Diana Mary Lewis, 70, said: “People voted for him to be a Tory and nothing else, so I think that’s wrong. Completely wrong.”

But others were more sympathetic.

"He sees what’s going on in government. He sees what’s going on in the NHS and frankly I think he’d be mad to stay linked to the Conservative Party,” said Drew Ross, 53.

Earlier on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg Dr Poulter explained his decision, saying: “I found it increasingly difficult to look my NHS colleagues in the eye, my patients in the eye, and my constituents in the eye, with good conscience.”

Fellow Suffolk MPs have also been reacting, with Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey saying: “With NHS funding at a record high, I'm surprised Dr Poulter has jumped ship.”

Ipswich MP Tom Hunt said: “On the most part I’ve always had a good professional relationship with Dan. We’ve worked together closely in holding the failing Labour council in Ipswich to account.

“Clearly I totally disagree with his decision and the views he’s expressed today. It has come as a bolt out of the blue and bearing in mind his previous highly critical comments about the Labour Party and in particular the Labour Party in Ipswich this is clearly very surprising.

“Though we’ve generally got on, it’s very well known that me and Dan haven’t always agreed on key issues and we have very different views on a number of key issues,” added Mr Hunt.

Other MPs told ITV News Anglia they were disappointed and thought Dr Poulter had made the wrong decision.

It appears none of his Conservative colleagues had any inkling he was about to defect.

Dr Poulter said he would sit as a Labour MP until the General Election and then stand down.

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