Former Speaker of the House of Commons and Tory MP John Bercow says he has changed allegiances to join Labour.
He told the Observer the Conservatives under Boris Johnson were “reactionary, populist, nationalistic and sometimes even xenophobic”.
He said the government “needs to be replaced”.
A senior government source said: “This will surprise nobody.”
It “shows Labour is still the party of Remain”, the source added.
In an interview with the Observer, Mr Bercow said: “I am motivated by support for equality, social justice and internationalism. That is the Labour brand.
“The conclusion I have reached is that this government needs to be replaced. The reality is that the Labour Party is the only vehicle that can achieve that objective. There is no other credible option.”
John McDonnell, Labour’s shadow chancellor under Jeremy Corbyn, said Mr Bercow had been “scrupulously fair” in his treatment of MPs, he said: “He won our respect, especially for his fight to protect the rights of Parliament,
“I wholeheartedly welcome him into the Labour Party.”
The Labour leader’s office declined to comment.
Tory pensions minister Guy Opperman said: “Labour are welcome to Bercow.”
Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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