List of British political defections

This is a list of notable defections or splits made by United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

parliamentarians

Member of Parliament

A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...

. They must have either been sitting MPs, MSPs

Member of the Scottish Parliament

Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...

or MEPs

Member of the European Parliament

A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...

at the time, or in between sessions.

Year	Name	Original affiliation		New affiliation
1888	Robert Cunninghame-Graham Robert Cunninghame-Graham Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham was a Scottish politician, writer, journalist and adventurer...		Scottish Labour Scottish Labour Party (1888-1893) The Scottish Labour Party , also known as the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party, was formed by Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham, the first socialist MP in the parliament of the United Kingdom, who later went on to become the first president of the Scottish National Party, and Keir Hardie, who...	The first socialist MP.
1904	Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
1919	Cecil L'Estrange Malone Cecil L'Estrange Malone Cecil John L'Estrange Malone was Britain's first communist member of the House of Commons.-Early years:Born in Dalton Holme, Yorkshire on 7 September 1890, a rector's son, he joined the Royal Navy in 1905 and attended the Royal Naval College at Devonport. In 1912 he learned to fly and gained his...		British Socialist British Socialist Party The British Socialist Party was a Marxist political organisation established in Great Britain in 1911. Following a protracted period of factional struggle, in 1916 the party's anti-war forces gained decisive control of the party and saw the defection of its pro-war Right Wing...	Party subsequently joined the Communist Party of Great Britain Communist Party of Great Britain The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:... .
1920	Oswald Mosley Oswald Mosley Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...
1924	Oswald Mosley Oswald Mosley Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...
1924	Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice... (Constitutionalist)
1931	Oswald Mosley Oswald Mosley Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet, of Ancoats, was an English politician, known principally as the founder of the British Union of Fascists...		New Party New Party (Oswald Mosley) The New Party was a political party briefly active in the United Kingdom in the early 1930s. It was formed by Sir Oswald Mosley, an MP who had belonged to both the Conservative and Labour parties, quitting Labour after its 1930 conference narrowly rejected his "Mosley Memorandum", a document he...
1931	Ramsay MacDonald Ramsay MacDonald James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms.... and Philip Snowden
1946	Ernest Millington
1947	Campbell Stephen Campbell Stephen Rev Campbell Stephen MA BD BSc was a Scottish socialist politician.A native of Bower parish, Caithness, he was educated at Townhead Public School, Allan Glen's School and Glasgow University.... , John McGovern and James Carmichael
1948	Tom Horabin Tom Horabin Thomas Lewis Horabin was a British Liberal Party politician who defected to the Labour Party. He sat in the House of Commons from 1939 to 1950.- Early life :Horabin was born in Merthyr Tydfil...
1948	Ivor Thomas Ivor Bulmer-Thomas Ivor Bulmer-Thomas CBE FSA, originally Ivor Thomas was a British journalist and author who served eight years as a Member of Parliament...
1949	Alfred Edwards Alfred Edwards (politician) Alfred Edwards was a British politician who served for fifteen years as a Member of Parliament . His origins were as a company director in the foundry industry in Middlesbrough, which led him into conflict with the Labour Party when it proposed to nationalise the iron and steel industries;...
1955	Richard Acland Richard Acland Sir Richard Thomas Dyke Acland, 15th Baronet was one of the founding members of the British Common Wealth Party. He had previously been a Liberal Member of Parliament and joined the Labour Party in 1945...
1962	Alan Grahame Brown Alan Grahame Brown Alan Grahame Brown was a British pharmaceutical chemist and politician. During a single term in Parliament, he abandoned the Labour Party and joined the Conservative Party due to policy differences.- Training :...
1968	Desmond Donnelly Desmond Donnelly Desmond Louis Donnelly was a British politician, author and journalist who was a member of four different political parties during the course of his career, and moved between parties on five occasions.- Origins :...	Later formed the Democratic Party Democratic Party (UK, 1969) The Democratic Party, initially known as Our Party, was formed in May 1969 by Desmond Donnelly, who had been a Labour MP, but had resigned the whip in January 1968 and been expelled by the party two months later...
1974	Christopher Mayhew Christopher Mayhew Christopher Paget Mayhew, Baron Mayhew was a British politician who was a Labour Member of Parliament from 1945 to 1950 and from 1951 to 1974, when he left the Labour Party to become a Liberal...
1976	John Stonehouse John Stonehouse John Thomson Stonehouse was a British politician and minister under Harold Wilson. Stonehouse is perhaps best remembered for his unsuccessful attempt at faking his own death in 1974...		English National Party English National Party English National Party has been the name of various political parties of England.-The original ENP:The English National Party was founded as the John Hampden New Freedom Party in the 1960s by Frank Hansford-Miller. In 1974, it renamed itself the "English Nationalist Party"...
1976	Jim Sillars Jim Sillars Jim Sillars is a Scottish politician. He is married to current member of the Scottish Parliament, Margo MacDonald.-Early life:...		Scottish Labour Scottish Labour Party (1976-1981) The Scottish Labour Party was formed on January 18, 1976, as a breakaway from the UK Labour Party, by members disaffected with the then Labour Government's failure to secure a devolved Scottish Assembly, as well as with its social and economic agenda...
1976	John Robertson John Robertson (Scottish Labour Party founder) John Robertson was a British politician, who sat as a Labour Member of Parliament before co-founding the Scottish Labour Party in 1976....		Scottish Labour Scottish Labour Party (1976-1981) The Scottish Labour Party was formed on January 18, 1976, as a breakaway from the UK Labour Party, by members disaffected with the then Labour Government's failure to secure a devolved Scottish Assembly, as well as with its social and economic agenda...
1977	Reginald Prentice Reginald Prentice Reginald Ernest Prentice, Baron Prentice, PC was a British politician who held ministerial office in both Labour and Conservative Party governments...
1981	Tom Bradley Tom Bradley (UK politician) Thomas George Bradley was a British politician.Kettering-born, Bradley was educated at Kettering Central School and worked in the mines during World War II... , Ronald Brown Ronald Brown (English politician) Ronald William Brown was a British Labour Party politician. He was the younger brother of George Brown, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1960 to 1970.... , John Cartwright John Cartwright John Cartwright may refer to:* Major John Cartwright , supporter of American independence and British political reform* John Robert Cartwright , Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada... , Richard Crawshaw Richard Crawshaw Richard Crawshaw, Baron Crawshaw of Aintree OBE, known as Dick Crawshaw was elected as a British Labour Party Member of Parliament in 1964 but joined the SDP in 1981.-Politics:... , George Cunningham George Cunningham George Cunningham is a British politician.Cunningham was educated at Dunfermline High School, Blackpool Grammar School and the University of Manchester. He worked for the Labour Party as Commonwealth officer.... , Bruce Douglas-Mann Bruce Douglas-Mann Bruce Leslie Home Douglas-Mann was a British politician.Bruce Douglas-Mann was born at Bexhill, Sussex, the son of a solicitor, Leslie John Douglas-Mann, MC.... , James Dunn, Tom Ellis Tom Ellis (politician) Robert Thomas Ellis, , commonly known as Tom Ellis, was a British politician who was elected several times as a Labour Member of Parliament, and later defected to the Social Democratic Party .... , David Ginsburg David Ginsburg David Ginsburg was a British politician.Ginsburg was educated at University College School, Hampstead, and Balliol College, Oxford. During his time at Oxford University, he was Chair of the Oxford University Democratic Socialist Club... , John Grant John Grant (British politician) John Douglas Grant was a British Member of Parliament from 1970 to 1983. He was as a member of the Labour until he left in 1981 to join the new Social Democratic Party . He represented Islington East from 1970 to 1974 and Islington Central from 1974-1983.Grant was born in Finsbury Park, North London... ,, John Horam John Horam John Rhodes Horam is a politician in the United Kingdom. He sat in the House of Commons for two separate periods between 1970 and 2010, as a member of three different political parties, latterly as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Orpington until 2010.-Early life:Horam was born in... Ednyfed Hudson Davies, Edward Lyons Edward Lyons Edward Lyons, QC was a British politician.Lyons was educated at Roundhay High School and Leeds University. Following World War II, he worked as a Russian interpreter in Germany attached to the Control commission... , Dickson Mabon Dickson Mabon Dr. Jesse Dickson "Dick" Mabon PC FRSA was a Scottish politician, physician and company director. He was the founder of The Manifesto Group of Labour MPs, an alliance of moderate MPs against the perceived leftward drift of the Labour Party in the 1970s. He was a Labour Co-operative MP until... , Robert Maclennan, Tom McNally, Bryan Magee Bryan Magee Bryan Edgar Magee is a noted British broadcasting personality, politician, poet, and author, best known as a popularizer of philosophy.-Early life:... , Edmund Marshall Edmund Marshall Dr Edmund Ian Marshall is a British politician and Churchman.-Early life:Marshall was educated at Humberstone Foundation School on Clee Road in Old Clee, Cleethorpes and Magdalen College, Oxford,where he took double first class... , Bob Mitchell, Eric Ogden Eric Ogden Eric Ogden was a British politician.Eric Ogden was a miner and studied at the Wigan and District Mining and Technical College.... , Michael O'Halloran Michael O'Halloran (UK politician) Michael Joseph O'Halloran was a British politician. He was brought up in County Clare, and, finding no employment, he "drifted to London" in 1948, aged 15, and worked as a railwayman until he entered politics.... , David Owen David Owen David Anthony Llewellyn Owen, Baron Owen CH PC FRCP is a British politician.Owen served as British Foreign Secretary from 1977 to 1979, the youngest person in over forty years to hold the post; he co-authored the failed Vance-Owen and Owen-Stoltenberg peace plans offered during the Bosnian War... , William Rogers William Rogers -Politics:William P. Rogers , U.S. Attorney General under Dwight Eisenhower and Secretary of State under Richard NixonWill Rogers, Jr. , congressman from California from 1943 to 1944 and the son of the noted humorist by the same nameWill Rogers , congressman from Oklahoma, 1933–1942William D... , Neville Sandelson Neville Sandelson Neville Devonshire Sandelson was a British politician.Sandelson was educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was a barrister, called to the bar by Inner Temple in 1946, and director of a publishing company... , Jeffrey Thomas Jeffrey Thomas (politician) Jeffrey Thomas, QC was a British politician.Thomas was educated at Abertillery Grammar School and King's College London, where he was president of the Students Union 1955-56. He was a barrister, called to the bar by Gray's Inn in 1957, and was appointed Queen's Counsel.Thomas was elected as a... , Michael Thomas Michael Thomas (politician) Michael Stuart Thomas, known as Mike Thomas, is a former British politician, identified with the Labour Party until 1981 and thereafter with the Social Democratic Party. He became well known for his role in both the establishment of the SDP and then in the SDP's subsequent demise... , Ian Wrigglesworth Ian Wrigglesworth Sir Ian William Wrigglesworth is Deputy Chairman of the Government's Regional Growth Fund Advisory Panel which is Chaired by Lord Heseltine and appointed by the Government to consider bids. He is Chief Executive of a Gateshead based commercial property investment company and is Chairman of the... and James Wellbeloved James Wellbeloved Alfred James Wellbeloved is a former British politician.Wellbeloved was educated at South London Technical College and was a commercial and industrial correspondent...	In addition to Owen and Rogers, the "Gang of Four" who originally founded the SDP included Shirley Williams and Roy Jenkins Roy Jenkins Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM, PC was a British politician.The son of a Welsh coal miner who later became a union official and Labour MP, Roy Jenkins served with distinction in World War II. Elected to Parliament as a Labour member in 1948, he served in several major posts in... neither of whom were MPs at the time of their defections.
1981	Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler was a British politician, most notable for being the sole Conservative Member of Parliament to defect to the Social Democratic Party ....
1983	Michael O'Halloran Michael O'Halloran (UK politician) Michael Joseph O'Halloran was a British politician. He was brought up in County Clare, and, finding no employment, he "drifted to London" in 1948, aged 15, and worked as a railwayman until he entered politics....
1984	Michael Gallagher Michael Gallagher (British politician) Michael Gallagher is a British miner, politician and software development company executive. He was the only Member of the European Parliament to have been a member of the Social Democratic Party, when he left the Labour Party in 1984.... MEP
1990	Dick Douglas Dick Douglas Richard Giles "Dick" Douglas is a former Scottish politician, having been a member of the British House of Commons firstly as a Labour Co-operative candidate, then latterly as a Scottish National Party member....
1995	Alan Howarth
1995	Emma Nicholson
1996	Peter Thurnham Peter Thurnham Peter Giles Thurnham was a British politician. He was Member of Parliament for Bolton North East from 1983 to 1997, originally as a Conservative before resigning to become an independent in February 1996 and then a Liberal Democrat in October 1996.-Biography:Thurnham was born in Staines, Middlesex...
1997	George Gardiner George Gardiner (politician) Sir George Arthur Gardiner was a United Kingdom Conservative Party politician and journalist.- Early life :...
1997	Peter Temple-Morris	Sat as a "One Nation Conservative" until 1998
1999	Shaun Woodward Shaun Woodward Shaun Anthony Woodward is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for St Helens South since 2001. He served in the Cabinet from 28 June 2007 to 11 May 2010 as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland...
2000	Bill Newton Dunn Bill Newton Dunn William "Bill" Newton Dunn is a British politician. He is a Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands for the Liberal Democrats.-Early life:... MEP
2001	Paul Marsden Paul Marsden Paul William Barry Marsden is a British writer, businessman and former politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury and Atcham from 1997 until 2005...
2002	Richard Balfe Richard Balfe -Early life:Born in Barton Mills, Mildenhall, Suffolk, Balfe spent time in a children's home in Sheffield. He began working in a bakery in 1960 and joined USDAW... MEP
2002	Andrew Hunter Andrew Hunter (British politician) Andrew Robert Frederick Ebenezer Hunter is a United Kingdom politician and a member of the Orange Order. He was Member of Parliament for Basingstoke from 1983 until 2005...	Did not take party whip until 2004
2003	Margo MacDonald Margo MacDonald Margo MacDonald MSP is a Scottish politician and former Scottish National Party MP and Deputy Leader...
2004	Jeffrey Donaldson Jeffrey Donaldson Jeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party...
2004	George Galloway George Galloway George Galloway is a British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster who was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010. He was formerly an MP for the Labour Party, first for Glasgow Hillhead and later for Glasgow Kelvin, before his expulsion from the party in October 2003, the same year...	Independent until formation of RESPECT.
2004	Campbell Martin
2004	Robert Kilroy-Silk Robert Kilroy-Silk Robert Michael Kilroy-Silk is an English former politician, former independent Member of the European Parliament, and former television presenter, best known for his daytime talk show Kilroy. He has been a university lecturer and Labour Party Member of Parliament... MEP
2005	Robert V. Jackson Robert V. Jackson Robert Victor Jackson is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was a Member of the European Parliament from 1979 to 1984 and Member of Parliament for Wantage from 1983 to 2005, having been elected as a Conservative; however, he joined the Labour Party in 2005.-Early life:He was raised in...
2005	Brian Monteith Brian Monteith Brian Monteith is a Scottish public relations consultant, politician and commentator, who was a Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament between 1999 and 2007.-Education:... MSP
2006	Clare Short Clare Short Clare Short is a British politician, and a member of the Labour Party. She was the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Ladywood from 1983 to 2010; for most of this period she was a Labour Party MP, but she resigned the party whip in 2006 and served the remainder of her term as an Independent. She...
2007	Quentin Davies Quentin Davies John Quentin Davies, Baron Davies of Stamford is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Grantham and Stamford from 1987 to 2010. Originally elected as a Conservative, he defected to Labour on 26 June 2007. Davies announced in 2010 that he would not stand for...
2007	Sajjad Karim Sajjad Karim Sajjad Haider Karim also known as Saj is a Member of the European Parliament for North West England.Karim was the first British Muslim elected to the European Parliament on 4 June 2004. He was re-elected in June 2009.-Early life:... MEP
2008	Bob Spink Bob Spink Robert Michael Spink is a politician in the United Kingdom. He was elected as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for Castle Point in Essex in 1992, lost his seat in 1997, but regained it in 2001...	redesignated as an Independent, on the grounds that UKIP had no 'whip'
2010	Edward McMillan-Scott Edward McMillan-Scott Edward Hugh Christian McMillan-Scott is a British Member of the European Parliament and one of the Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament... MEP	Expelled from the Conservative Party in September 2009 having successfully stood for re-election as Vice-President of the European Parliament against the candidate endorsed by the grouping including the Conservative Party in July 2009.
2010	Sylvia Hermon Sylvia Hermon Sylvia Eileen Hermon, Lady Hermon is a Northern Irish politician. Since 2001, she has been the Member of Parliament for the constituency of North Down, first elected for the Ulster Unionist Party , but now an independent...

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