Tory defector Dan Poulter tells Rishi Sunak to call general election as PM chickens out

A Tory defector who has switched to Labour has told Rishi Sunak to call an election “as soon as possible”

Dan Poulter, an MP who works part-time as a doctor, said the Labour Party “will do a much better job of running the NHS”. Keir Starmer urged other Conservatives to follow his lead.

On a joint visit to the Francis Crick Institute in London, he said: "In leaving the Conservatives and coming to Labour, Dan has said that that's driven by his sense of wanting to support and ensure the future of the NHS and only Labour is going to do that.

"He probably speaks for very many Tory voters who equally think that their party has drifted away from what it once was and I say to them, as I said to Dan, you are very welcome to join us."

The former Health Minister, who has been the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich since 2010, said: “I hope Rishi Sunak calls it (a general election) as soon as possible."

Dr Poulter said his work as an NHS mental health doctor had informed his decision to cross the floor. “In all good conscience, it has become increasingly difficult for me to look at patients and my medical colleagues, my constituents in the eye as a Conservative MP, because of that mismanagement of health service - because of the fact that patients are not receiving the service that they deserve," he said.

"And for all of those reasons, I felt that the right thing to do was, as you should do when you're in public life, is to say what you believe is the right thing for those patients and my constituents. And that's that the Labour Party will do a much better job of running the NHS."

Mr Sunak today continued to refuse to name the date of the election as he dodged questions on whether there could be a snap poll in July. The PM criticised Dr Poulter, saying: “I just don't agree with him and I think he's made a mistake.”

The PM faces a tricky set of local elections on Thursday. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street is expected to be one of the Tory casualties as 11 mayors and 37 police and crime commissioners are elected across England and Wales. A by-election also is being held in Blackpool South after ex-Tory MP Scott Benton was forced to step down. Tory rebels are plotting a potential coup against Mr Sunak if the results are disappointing.

Asked whether defeat in the West Midlands and Tees Valley mayoral contests would be a "catastrophe" for him, the Prime Minister told ITV News: "Local elections are always difficult for incumbent governments, but we'll be campaigning very hard.”