The Staggers

The New Statesman’s rolling politics blog

The Lib Dem MP most likely to defect to Labour

Why Mike Hancock is the man to watch.

By George Eaton Published 20 September 2010 11:56

Forget Charles Kennedy: if you're looking for a potential Lib Dem defector, Mike Hancock is your man. In a letter to Nick Clegg, Hancock has attacked "the dictatorship" of ministers over the party and hit out at the coalition's welfare cuts.

He's followed this up with a BBC interview, in which he warns that he's "straining at the straps" in his relationship with the party and hints that defeat in the AV referendum could provide the tipping point.

"I will make a determined effort to win that vote but if we lose, and there's little or no chance of repeating it, then I will be very, very concerned about where the coalition goes from there," Hancock said. As a former Labour and SDP man, he wouldn't have too much trouble crossing the floor.

But don't expect to see him speaking out against free schools in the debate this morning -- he hasn't even turned up at conference this year. You get the feeling he won't be there next year either.

UPDATE: In the letter, Hancock suggests that he's unlikely to defect, pointing out: "If Dennis Skinner can remain a member of Labour throughout the past 20 years of New Labour, I as a founding member of the SDP with over 25 years' membership of the Lib Dems can certainly remain a member of the Lib Dems." But he doesn't completely rule it out.

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Tags: Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg

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28 comments

Thu, 2010-09-23 06:40 — Zole (not verified)

So I take it that no one fancies a pint, then ?

Mon, 2010-09-20 23:31 — Phil (not verified)

Here's another one, Lib-Dem councillor withdraws support from Tory/Lib-Dem coalition over the cuts....
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2010/09/13/lib-dem-claire-darke-tells...

Tue, 2010-09-21 00:01 — jie4v7i14

soyousay - re. Boyle and Exeter, this happened in Exeter a few weeks previous to that. So net +1 to Labour there, at the moment,
http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/news/Hannafords-resign/article-2286076-det...

Tue, 2010-09-21 00:08 — jie4v7i14

And Bertin/Vale of Glamorgan was unhappy with Labour all-women shortlists, apparently. Was described as "missing the bigger picture".
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/welsh-politics/welsh-politics-news/201...

Tue, 2010-09-21 00:26 — Zole (not verified)

Does anyone fancy a pint ?

Wed, 2010-09-22 09:00 — Benedict (not verified)

GM wrote, "... a proportion of councillors are always defecting in all directions at any one time depending on which partcular huff they are in over something or other."

True, in many ways. However, the net trend seems to be that Lib Dem councillors are defecting to Labour because they are worried about the the impact of the proposed cuts.

Thu, 2010-09-23 11:43 — Geoffrey G Brooking (not verified)

As a regular writer in Hancock's home city of Portsmouth I was the first to tip Hancock as a potential defector ages ago.

However, having looked into this much more closely and done my research I would now be very surprised at such a move.

Why?

1. There's the Dennis Skinner comments.

2. He's said quite clearly to the Portsmouth News that he is ready to fight for the heart and soul of his party against right-of-centre liberals like Clegg.

3. BIG POINT - How could Hancock handle losing his big money as an executive member of Portsmouth City Council with all the money he gets on the executive?

4. Everyone in Portsmouth knows that Hancock has never been for principle, just for Hancock.

5. The only reason Hancock spoke out recently about benefit cuts he is against is for the simple reason that there are votes in it, in Portsmouth South, his constituency. here has been a large increase in the immigrant population in the constituency during the last ten years, particularly from Asia. Many of these claim benefits and work at the same time for cash in hand jobs. Hancock has cosied up so much to this group that he acknowledged their support at his acceptance speech after the election results were announced so if he is seen to be supporting benefit cuts by this group, he will lose their vote and his seat.

That's why I and the vast majority of Conservatives I have spoken to in Portsmouth don't think he will resign!

Tue, 2010-09-21 10:01 — swatantra

Make that a double scotch for Charles, who left early unfortunately missing the Leaders speech, feeling a bit under the weather? Green about the gills with envy that Clegg made it and he didn't?

Tue, 2010-09-21 15:39 — Clem the Gem

Uncalled for swat, still loving the Kennedy, even when he is wrong.
From what I hear from LDs, membership is up, as it should be with them in power.
Our membership is up by around 30,000 - but we hear very little about Tory numbers...

Tue, 2010-09-21 16:19 — Richard Pratt (not verified)

Mike Hancock is clearly not a man to use one word when 10 will do. A good message spoilt by the rambling.

Mon, 2010-09-20 12:10 — swatantra

Mike who?
More like Bob Russell Colchester Essex, whose seeing his parliamentary career cut short in 2015.

Mon, 2010-09-20 12:13 — zahidf (not verified)

Thats not what his letter says: he rules out defecting.

http://www.mikehancock.co.uk/uploads/PDFs/letter_to_nick_clegg.pdf

Mon, 2010-09-20 12:18 — Marcus (not verified)

I think there are a fair few Labour figures that are more likely to defect to the coalition than the other way around.

Mon, 2010-09-20 13:08 — Benedict (not verified)

@Marcus

"I think there are a fair few Labour figures that are more likely to defect to the coalition than the other way around."

Your evidence being what precisely?

Mon, 2010-09-20 14:17 — Clem the Gem

All the rumour and innuendo about defection either way gets us nowhere. We have to deal with the reality of the situation.
For More see
http:clemthegem.labourhome.org/

Mon, 2010-09-20 14:23 — Clem the Gem

Oops!
Thats http://clemthegem.labourhome.org/

Mon, 2010-09-20 15:11 — jie4v7i14

Mike Hancock of Portsmouth South has come up a few times in recent weeks on here, here's two,
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2010/09/welfare-cuts-osbo...

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2010/08/osborne-budget-re...

Mon, 2010-09-20 15:41 — Marcus (not verified)

@Benedict - If you don't know who the candidates are then i'll let you guess the names. I know of two that are certs within the next 12 months. One is a sitting MP who is actively looking at the Liberals. The other is a well known Labour personality.

Mon, 2010-09-20 15:56 — Clem the Gem

Nice try Marcus, but no real point in playing silly games now is there? I mean, the Lib Dems are a serious party of government aren't they? every party has its fair share of turncoats, so this is not important - unless youre a Tory troll in disguise...
http://clemthegem.labourhome.org/

Mon, 2010-09-20 16:18 — Benedict (not verified)

@Marcus

There's hard evidence that people are defecting to Labour:

Solihull Lib Dem councillor defects to Labour Party: http://bit.ly/a0NFRv

Lib Dem councillor defects to Labour Party in Sheffield: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-11347619

Barnsley Council loses lone Lib Dem councillor: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-11331834

Lib Dem councillor defects to Labour Party over coalition: http://bit.ly/cEgdou

Liverpool Lib Dem Ian Jobling defects to Labour: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-11069322

Senior Tory councillor defects to Labour over Gove’s school cuts: http://bit.ly/byewyu

Solihull councillor Simon Slater defects to Labour: http://bit.ly/bsILlg

Where's your hard evidence that Labour people are defecting?

Mon, 2010-09-20 16:34 — Robert Taggart

Can a 'defective' defect ? !

Mon, 2010-09-20 17:15 — markus (not verified)

I'm a Leftie who occassionally comments here. I hope people don't confuse me with the Tory (above) who appears to have nicked my name (albeit in upper case M).

Mon, 2010-09-20 17:19 — markus (not verified)

Oh, actually I see the Tory uses a "c" rather than a "k", so there's probably no reason for me to worry about confused identities afterall. As you were.

Mon, 2010-09-20 18:01 — soyousay (not verified)

Where's your hard evidence that Labour people are defecting?

Cllr Pabbi, Slough: Labour to Conservative

Cllr Boyle, Exeter: Labour to Independent

Cllr Bertin, Vale of Glamorgan: Labour to Independent

Mon, 2010-09-20 18:07 — Clem the Gem

@soyousay - wow, three. If any New Labour retreads want to join the coalition, they are welcome. Please please let it be Tony Blair :)

Mon, 2010-09-20 18:11 — Benedict (not verified)

@soyousay

Evidence that Labour people are defecting to the Lib Dems, which was Marcus's assertion?

Tue, 2010-09-21 22:41 — GM (not verified)

pointless debate, a proportion of councillors are always defecting in all directions at any one time depending on which partcular huff they are in over something or other.

Mon, 2010-09-20 18:20 — swatantra

So far its one way traffic with ex Lib Dems shifting in their thousands to Labour, including some prominent councillors; no doubt a couple of MPs will follow before Xmas.