Mr Wokeford – Labour activists rebel against Tory MP Christian Wakeford joining them after it became clear that he used a foul mouthed insult to them once

  • Christian Wakeford, a Tory defector, angers Labour activists
  • He’shouldn’t be near Labour,’ they claim after previous insults. 
  • With a wafer-thin majority of 402 votes, Mr Wakeford was elected as Bury South MP in 2019.
  • Ally of PM said Mr Johnson was ‘delighted’ as it has given party a common enemy










After Christian Wakeford joined the ranks of Labour activists, they were in revolt.

Bury South MP was the first Tory to reach the Commons floor in fifteen years and sit on the Labour benches.

Labour members also took aim at the Tory turncoat who they said ‘should be nowhere near’ their party – after it emerged he once branded them a ‘bunch of c***s’.

However, Wakeford indicated last night that he would still represent Bury South in the Red Wall seat. He was elected to this position with a slim 402 majority.

He rejected pressure to trigger a by-election – despite previously supporting a backbench bill that called for any MP who switches parties to face a recall petition.

Although Mr Wakeford was among seven Tory MPs who publicly called for Boris Johnson’s resignation, his departure means that there is one less letter of confidence from Sir Graham Brady (1922 Committee Chairman).

A close ally of the PM said last night that Mr Johnson was ‘delighted’ about Mr Wakeford’s move as it has given the party a common enemy, while a senior Tory MP said it had ‘united’ the backbenches.

Conservatives Lee Anderson and Jonathan Gullis said Tory MPs had dubbed him Christian ‘Wokeford’, as the people of Bury South ‘voted for a Conservative agenda, not the Labour woke agenda that we’re seeing today’.

Christian Wakeford, MP for Bury South, became the first Tory in 15 years to cross the floor of the Commons to sit on the Labour benches

Christian Wakeford MP, Bury South became the first Tory, in 15 years, to pass the Commons and sit on the Labour benches.

Christian Wakeford MP and Boris Johnson pictured as the former delivered a Christmas card to the Prime Minister last year

Christian Wakeford MP and Boris Johnson were pictured last Christmas when they delivered a Christmas greeting to the Prime Minister

Christian Wakeford allegedly pictured at a house party in Manchester in June last year, Manchester Young Conservatives said on Twitter

Christian Wakeford was allegedly seen at Manchester’s house party last June, Manchester Young Conservatives stated on Twitter

The group claimed the MP for Bury South 'drank so much tequila he chundered' while at a house party

 The group claimed the MP for Bury South ‘drank so much tequila he chundered’ while at a house party

Mr Wakeford’s defection was announced just minutes before PMQs yesterday. 

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer began his questions by ‘warmly welcoming’ Mr Wakeford to his party. But Labour’s youth wing did not echo Sir Keir’s greeting.

A statement on Young Labour’s Twitter account said: ‘Christian Wakeford MP should not be admitted to the Labour Party. 

‘He has consistently voted against the interests of working class people; for the £20 Universal Credit cut, for the Nationality and Borders Bill and for the Police and Crime Bill. Young Labour does not welcome him.’

The Corbynite Momentum campaign group also said Mr Wakeford ‘should be nowhere near the Labour Party’. 

A spokesman said: ‘Christian Wakeford has voted with this hard-Right Tory government almost 400 times in just two years – voting against measures to stop climate change and tax avoidance and against enabling domestic abuse victims to have access to benefits.’

Paddy Heneghan (chairman of Bury South Labour Party) welcomed the MP.

‘Members of our constituency party will be meeting tomorrow to discuss how we will be working with our new Labour MP to fight for the interests of residents and secure a future Labour government,’ he said.

While the row over No10 parties had been the final straw for him, Mr Wakeford highlighted issues including free school meals, the row over Dominic Cummings’ behaviour during lockdown, the cost-of-living crisis and the Owen Paterson affair, for his decision to defect. 

He said Tories were ‘trying to defend the indefensible and they are doing so gladly’.

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