The Westminster rumour mill has been ablaze with reports of a possible defection from Labour to the Greens.
With the Green Party currently engaged in a leadership contest to decide its focus – should it target environmentally-conscious Tory voters in the countryside, or firmly declare itself a radical left party with an environmental tinge? – the defection of a left wing Labour MP could shape its future.
As usual, no-one is commenting as to whether talks are taking place, but it’s a story the Greens are unsurprisingly happy to encourage. The rumour mill can’t quite decide the identity of the likeliest defector, though. Zarah Sultana, who has had the Labour whip withdrawn since defying the whip over the two-child benefit cap, is seen as a likely defection target.
No 10 could at least argue Sultana was kicked out rather than defecting. They couldn’t do the same with Clive Lewis, a leftist MP who still has the Labour whip, and is also rumoured to be considering his future. In his case, though, it would come at the cost of his X handle, the memorable @labourlewis. Does @greenlewis have the same ring?
