Penny Mordaunt, the Conservative MP, has intensified criticism of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, accusing him of misleading voters about his political stance and referring to his strategy as “Operation Radish.” Mordaunt likened Starmer to a shape-shifting creature, suggesting he presents himself as more moderate than his party’s true inclinations. This charge came in context of the recent defection of Natalie Elphicke, formerly a Conservative MP for Dover, to the Labour Party, a move welcomed amid criticism by top Conservative figures.

In response to the defection, former Prime Minister David Cameron and Education Secretary Gillian Keegan have voiced their discontent, underscoring a perceived mismatch between Elphicke’s former stances and Labour’s current policies. Labour, however, supported Elphicke’s transition, underlining her accountability and the transformative nature of political alignments.

Concurrently, Dominic Cummings, a former adviser to Boris Johnson, is preparing to launch a new political party aimed at disrupting the existing political order and addressing issues like immigration and Civil Service reform. Despite facing significant skepticism and recollection of his contentious lockdown incident, Cummings is pushing ahead to establish an alternative for disenchanted voters.

These events underscore a period of notable fluidity and contention in UK politics, marked by shifting allegiances and emerging new political movements.