ANALYSIS: A defection that hurts PM, but not straightforward for Starmer either. Lots of Lab MPs v unhappy. One on left angry an ‘opportunist’ MP who’s spent career opposing Lab values let in. But LOTO, with defection on NHS (Poulter) & now migration (Elphicke), view it as win

ANALYSIS: Election defeats, Tory defections, internal detractors: this now the fixed state as PM battles on. But Elphicke’s defection not a straight win for Starmer, as some Labour MPs bristle, with one MP telling me colleagues ‘very very’ annoyed

WATCH: Election defeats, Tory defections, internal detractors: the fixed state as PM battles on, with a bit of time to see if something will turn up, w Robert Jenrick Richard Tice 🇬🇧 Nadhim Zahawi Damian Green MP Tobias Ellwood MP + more

By Shona Somerville Izzy Losseff Tom Sue Yek & Finns

Jenrick: “These were appalling local election results…And they point towards a very serious defeat for the govt at GE, unless we can change course & win back some of those Con voters currently not supporting us or are drifting to Reform who performed very well in locals”

Jenrick: “These were appalling local election results…And they point towards a very serious defeat for the govt at GE, unless we can change course & win back some of those Con voters currently not supporting us or are drifting to Reform who performed very well in locals”

We are going to have so much to talk about on #ElectoralDysfunction . Not least, Jess and I talking about that West Mids count, as we waited out the day in Birmingham with the result landing just before 9pm Sat night

ANALYSIS: Election defeats, Tory defections, internal detractors: this now the fixed state as PM battles on. But Elphicke’s defection not a straight win for Starmer, as some Labour MPs bristle, with one MP telling me colleagues ‘very very’ annoyed

WATCH: Election defeats, Tory defections, internal detractors: the fixed state as PM battles on, with a bit of time to see if something will turn up, w Robert Jenrick Richard Tice 🇬🇧 Nadhim Zahawi Damian Green MP Tobias Ellwood MP + more

By Shona Somerville Izzy Losseff Tom Sue Yek & Finns

Natalie Elphicke's defection to Labour - the second MP to leave the Tories in less than two weeks - 'speaks to the slow death of the Rishi Sunak premiership', says Sky's Beth Rigby.

#PoliticsHub trib.al/ftpea6d

📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube

A defection and an intervention show the Tory party is splintering - read Political Editor Beth Rigby's analysis here ⬇️

trib.al/u0HqhSs

Robert Jenrick appeals to Rishi Sunak to 'change course', telling Sky's Beth Rigby that getting tougher on immigration is 'an entirely mainstream view.'

trib.al/A4A3d14

Q: Do you look at these local election results and think 'we're going to lose a general election'?

Speaking to Beth Rigby, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick says the Tories must stop their voters from 'drifting to Reform' in order to win the next election - as well as saying he would have 'no problem' if Farage joined them.

More here: news.sky.com/story/tories-m…

EXCL: Robert Jenrick tells me local elex results “appalling” & “point towards a very serious defeat for at GE” unless tories can ‘change course’ & win back Reform voters (& says again what he told LBC: Farage would be welcome into Tory party) via Jennifer-Anne Scott

news.sky.com/story/tories-m…

Full statement from Elphicke: “For me key deciding factors have been housing and the safety and security of our borders”

“We need to move on the broken promises of Rishi Sunak’s tired and chaotic Government”

BREAKING: Natalie Elphicke has just crossed the floor and defects to Labour

This is a good idea from Rob Jenrick and Neil O'Brien MP - people must feel that their views are being heard on immigration and there must be accountability about promises made.

Jenrick tells Sam Lister “One lesson from local elections is we need to give reason for voters to come out and vote conservative and get those considering voting reform to come back to our party”

Jenrick says Home Office should be split in two with a dedicated Immigration department and cabinet minister, and Home Sec dealing with policing and national security

Jenrick argues migration is as important to the public as the economy and says that just as there is a economic Budget should be a migration Budget where numbers/policies announced and voted on