List of British Members of Parliament who crossed the floor

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Members of the British House of Commons sometimes cross the floor and abandon a previous party membership to take up a new one. The following list details the dates, Members involved, previous and new party affiliations, and an explanation for their switch.

Contents

[edit] List of Members who have crossed the floor

Date Member Before After Notes

[edit] 1945-1950 Parliament

22 April, 1946 Ernest Millington Common Wealth Labour  
21 October, 1946 Tom Horabin Liberal Independent Declared support for the Labour government, and took the Labour whip on 18 November, 1947.
26 March, 1947 John McGovern Ind. Labour Party Labour  
23 July, 1947 Rev Campbell Stephen Ind. Labour Party Independent Granted the Labour whip on 21 October, 1947.
29 October, 1947 James Carmichael Ind. Labour Party Independent Granted the Labour whip on 3 November, 1947.
4 November, 1947 Evelyn Walkden Labour Independent Following censure by the House for his conduct.
March 1948 John Mackie Independent Conservative  
28 April, 1948 John Platts-Mills Labour Independent Expelled from party for sending supportive telegram to Pietro Nenni, Italian socialist allied with the Communists.
16 May, 1948 Alfred Edwards Labour Independent Expelled from party for opposition to nationalisation of steel. Granted the Conservative whip on 19 August, 1949.
26 October, 1948 Ivor Thomas Labour Independent Resigned due to opposition to nationalisation of steel. Granted the Conservative whip on 3 January, 1949.
3 October, 1948 Eric Gandar Dower Conservative Independent Dispute with local association.
18 May, 1949 Leslie Solley Labour Independent Expelled from party for persistently opposing government policies.
18 May, 1949 Konni Zilliacus Labour Independent Expelled from party for persistently opposing government policies.
27 July, 1948 Lester Hutchinson Labour Independent Expelled from party for opposition to government foreign policy.

[edit] 1950-1951 Parliament

4 August, 1950 Raymond Blackburn Labour Independent Called for Winston Churchill to be Prime Minister in a Coalition government.

[edit] 1951-1955 Parliament

2 June, 1954 Sir John Mellor Conservative Independent Resigned whip over increase in MPs' salaries (Mellor was opposed). Whip restored 14 July 1954.
14 July, 1954 Harry Legge-Bourke Conservative Independent Opposed to policy of withdrawing British base in Suez canal zone. Whip restored 18 October 1954.
23 November, 1954 Seven MPs Labour Independent Whip withdrawn after breaking the whip over German rearmament. The seven were George Craddock, S. O. Davies, Ernest Fernyhough, Emrys Hughes, Sydney Silverman and Victor Yates, who had the whip restored on 24 February 1955, and John McGovern who had the whip restored on 10 March 1955.
10 March, 1955 Sir Richard Acland, Bt. Labour Independent Opposed to party policy on nuclear arms. Simultaneously resigned his seat in order to seek re-election.
16 March, 1955 Aneurin Bevan Labour Independent Whip withdrawn for challenging the authority of Party leader. Whip restored 28 April 1955.

[edit] 1955-1959 Parliament

8 November, 1956 Cyril Banks Conservative Independent Resigned whip over the Suez Crisis (Banks was friendly with Egypt). The whip was restored on 19 December 1958.
13 May, 1957 Eight MPs Conservative Independent Resigned whip over the Suez Crisis, wanting UK involvement in Suez to continue. The eight were Hon. Patrick Maitland (whip restored 23 December 1957), John Biggs-Davison, Anthony Fell, Viscount Hinchingbrooke, Lawrence Turner and Paul Williams (whip restored 11 July 1958), and Angus Maude and Victor Raikes who subsequently resigned their seats.
14 November, 1957 Sir Frank Medlicott National Liberal and Conservative Independent Resigned whip over the Suez Crisis (Medlicott was opposed to the invasion). Whip restored 21 November 1958.
30 January, 1959 Sir David Robertson Conservative Independent Resigned whip over policy on the Scottish highlands.

[edit] 1959-1964 Parliament

16 March, 1961 Five MPs Labour Independent Whip withdrawn for voting against the Army estimates. The whip was restored on 29 May 1963. The five were William Baxter, S. O. Davies, Michael Foot, Emrys Hughes and Sydney Silverman.
22 March, 1961 Alan Brown Labour Independent Opposed to party defence policy.
22 March, 1961 Konni Zilliacus Labour Independent Whip suspended until January 1962 for writing critical article in Communist publication.
19 October, 1961 Sir William Duthie Conservative Independent Resigned whip over policy on salmon fishing industry. The whip was restored on 15 November 1963.
4 May, 1962 Alan Brown Independent Conservative  
23 January, 1964 Dr Donald Johnson Conservative Independent Dispute with local party.

[edit] 1964-1966 Parliament

None.

[edit] 1966-1970 Parliament

10 July, 1966 Geoffrey Hirst Conservative Independent Conservative Failed to persuade party to vote against Prices and Incomes Bill.
8 December, 1966 Reginald Paget Labour Independent Resigned the whip because of opposition to United Nations sanctions on Rhodesia. The whip was restored on 15 June 1967.
18 January, 1968 Desmond Donnelly Labour Independent Opposed to defence cuts 'east of Suez'.
31 January, 1968 24 Members Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January to 29 February. The MPs had abstained on 18 January on a vote on spending cuts, 23 of them because they were opposed to social services cuts: They were Frank Allaun, Norman Atkinson, Albert Booth, James Dickens, S. O. Davies, Michael Foot, Will Griffiths, Dr John Dunwoody, Eric Heffer, Willie Hamilton, Emrys Hughes, Peter Jackson, Anne Kerr, Russell Kerr, Malcolm Macmillan, John Mendelson, Stanley Newens, Christopher Norwood, Stan Orme, Trevor Park, John Ryan, Sydney Silverman and Tom Swain. Also Carol Johnson had abstained in protest at the Whips' lack of disciplinary action.

[edit] 1970-1974 Parliament

24 August, 1970 Gerry Fitt Republican Labour Social Democratic and Labour Formed new party.
30 September, 1971 Ian Paisley Protestant Unionist Democratic Unionist Protestant Unionists merged into new party.
16 February, 1972 Ray Gunter Labour Independent Labour Opposed to take-over of party by middle-class intellectuals.
6 October, 1972 Dick Taverne Labour Democratic Labour Dispute with local party. Simultaneously resigned seat to seek re-election.
29 April, 1973 Stratton Mills Conservative Alliance  

[edit] 1974 Parliament

9 July, 1974 Christopher Mayhew Labour Liberal Believed Labour was too vulnerable to left takeover.

[edit] 1974-1979 Parliament

11 October, 1975 John Dunlop Vanguard Progressive Unionist United Ulster Unionist Split with leadership over proposal for voluntary power-sharing in Northern Ireland.
1975 James Kilfedder Ulster Unionist Independent Unionist Opposed to the growth of support for the full integration of Northern Ireland into the United Kingdom,remained committed to devolution.
19 November, 1975 Robert Bradford Vanguard Progressive Unionist Ulster Unionist Opposed to power-sharing.
7 April, 1976 John Stonehouse Labour Independent Believed new Prime Minister James Callaghan did not have a mandate.
14 April, 1976 John Stonehouse Independent English National  
26 July, 1976 Jim Sillars Labour Scottish Labour Formed rebel party earlier; resigned Labour whip over public spending cuts.
26 July, 1976 John Robertson Labour Scottish Labour Formed rebel party earlier; resigned Labour whip over public spending cuts.
8 October, 1977 Reg Prentice Labour Conservative Believed Labour should be defeated at the next election.
26 November, 1977 William Craig Vanguard Progressive Unionist Ulster Unionist Party wound up.

[edit] 1979-1983 Parliament

24 August, 1979 Gerry Fitt Social Democratic and Labour Independent Socialist Dispute with party over talks process.
17 January, 1980 James Kilfedder Independent Unionist Ulster Progressive Unionist Party Formed party (renamed 'Ulster Popular Unionist Party' in March 1980).
20 February, 1981 Richard Crawshaw Labour Social Democrat Resigned whip prior to launch of new party, which he joined on 2 March.
20 February, 1981 Tom Ellis Labour Social Democrat Resigned whip prior to launch of new party, which he joined on 2 March.
2 March, 1981 John Cartwright Labour Social Democrat Formed new party.
2 March, 1981 John Horam Labour Social Democrat Formed new party.
2 March, 1981 Robert Maclennan Labour Social Democrat Formed new party.
2 March, 1981 John Roper Labour Social Democrat Formed new party.
2 March, 1981 David Owen Labour Social Democrat Formed new party.
2 March, 1981 Bill Rodgers Labour Social Democrat Formed new party.
2 March, 1981 Neville Sandelson Labour Social Democrat Formed new party.
2 March, 1981 Mike Thomas Labour Social Democrat Formed new party.
2 March, 1981 Ian Wrigglesworth Labour Social Democrat Formed new party.
16 March, 1981 Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler Conservative Social Democrat  
19 March, 1981 Edward Lyons Labour Social Democrat  
4 July, 1981 James Wellbeloved Labour Social Democrat  
7 September, 1981 Michael O'Halloran Labour Social Democrat  
1 October, 1981 Dr Dickson Mabon Labour Social Democrat  
5 October, 1981 Bob Mitchell Labour Social Democrat  
6 October, 1981 David Ginsburg Labour Social Democrat  
7 October, 1981 James Dunn Labour Social Democrat  
7 October, 1981 Tom McNally Labour Social Democrat  
29 October, 1981 Eric Ogden Labour Social Democrat  
16 November, 1981 John Grant Labour Social Democrat  
30 November, 1981 George Cunningham Labour Independent Labour  
2 December, 1981 Ronald Brown Labour Social Democrat  
11 December, 1981 Bruce Douglas-Mann Labour Independent Labour Subsequently resigned his seat and restood unsuccessfully for the Social Democratic Party.
11 December, 1981 Jeffrey Thomas Labour Social Democrat  
22 December, 1981 Ednyfed Hudson Davies Labour Social Democrat  
22 January, 1982 Bryan Magee Labour Independent Labour Took Social Democratic Party whip in March.
16 June, 1982 George Cunningham Independent Labour Social Democrat  
2 August, 1982 Robert Mellish Labour Independent Labour Dispute with local party.
10 February, 1983 Michael O'Halloran Social Democrat Independent Labour Not selected as a candidate for the subsequent election.

[edit] 1983-1987 Parliament

31 January, 1987 John Ryman Labour Independent  

[edit] 1987-1992 Parliament

19 May, 1988 Ron Brown Labour Independent Whip suspended until 19 August 1988 over misconduct.
14 March, 1990 Dick Douglas Labour Independent Opposed to party acquiescence in administering the Poll Tax.
4 October, 1990 Dick Douglas Independent Scottish National Party  
25 September, 1991 Dave Nellist Labour Independent Whip suspended over links to the Militant Tendency.
25 September, 1991 Terry Fields Labour Independent Whip suspended over links to the Militant Tendency.
13 March, 1992 John Browne Conservative Independent Conservative Whip removed for intention to stand against official candidate after he had been deselected.

[edit] 1992-1997 Parliament

23 July, 1993 Rupert Allason Conservative Independent Conservative Whip suspended until 28 July 1994 after failing to back Conservative government in confidence motion.
29 November, 1994 Eight MPs Conservative Independent Conservative Whip suspended until 24 April 1995 after failing to back Conservative government in confidence motion. The eight were Nicholas Budgen, Michael Carttiss, Christopher Gill, Teresa Gorman, Antony Marlow, Richard Shepherd, Sir Teddy Taylor and John Wilkinson.
29 November, 1994 Richard Body Conservative Independent Conservative Resigned whip in protest at the treatment of the eight MPs who abstained. Restored on 17 January 1996.
8 October, 1995 Alan Howarth Conservative Labour  
30 December, 1995 Emma Nicholson Conservative Liberal Democrat  
24 February, 1996 Peter Thurnham Conservative Independent  
12 October, 1996 Peter Thurnham Independent Liberal Democrat  
8 March, 1997 Sir George Gardiner Conservative Referendum Party Deselected by local Conservative association.

[edit] 1997-2001 Parliament

21 November, 1997 Peter Temple-Morris Conservative Independent 'One Nation Conservative' Whip removed due to questioned commitment to the Party.
21 June, 1998 Peter Temple-Morris Independent 'One Nation Conservative' Labour  
9 September, 1998 Tommy Graham Labour Independent 'Scottish Labour' Expelled from Party over misconduct.
26 March, 1999 Dennis Canavan Labour Independent Expelled from Party after decision to stand for Scottish Parliament against official candidate.
18 December, 1999 Shaun Woodward Conservative Labour  
6 March, 2000 Ken Livingstone Labour Independent Expelled from Party after decision to stand for Mayor of London against official candidate.
11 April, 2001 Charles Wardle Conservative Independent Whip removed after rumours of support for Independent candidate in forthcoming general election.

[edit] 2001-2005 Parliament

10 December, 2001 Paul Marsden Labour Liberal Democrat  
2 October, 2002 Andrew Hunter Conservative Independent Conservative Resigned whip in order to ally with the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland.
23 June, 2003 Three MPs Ulster Unionist Independent Unionist Resigned whip over opposition to the Belfast Agreement. David Burnside and Rev. Martin Smyth accepted the whip back on 9 January 2004. The third was Jeffrey Donaldson who subsequently joined the Democratic Unionist Party (see below).
23 October, 2003 George Galloway Labour Independent Expelled from Party. Formed Respect - The Unity Coalition on 25 January 2004.
5 January, 2004 Jeffrey Donaldson Independent Unionist Democratic Unionist  
25 January, 2004 Ann Winterton Conservative Independent Whip suspended until 31 March 2004 over misconduct.
10 December, 2004 Andrew Hunter Independent Conservative Democratic Unionist  
15 January, 2005 Robert Jackson Conservative Labour Disagreement with party over higher education funding.
3 February, 2005 Jonathan Sayeed Conservative Independent Whip suspended until 7 March 2005 over misconduct.
18 March, 2005 Jonathan Sayeed Conservative Independent Whip withdrawn over misconduct.
25 March, 2005 Howard Flight Conservative Independent Whip withdrawn over controversial policy remarks.
6 April, 2005 Paul Marsden Liberal Democrat Independent Labour Declared support for Labour Party to win the impending general election.

[edit] 2005 Parliament

20 October 2006 Clare Short Labour Independent Resigned whip. Declared support for a hung Parliament at the next election.
26 June 2007 Quentin Davies Conservative Labour Defected. Criticised the direction of the Conservative Party under leadership of David Cameron.
25 September 2007 Andrew Pelling Conservative Independent Whip suspended pending the conclusion of an investigation into the accusations he assaulted his wife. Whip restored after the announcement that no charges would be brought.
November 2007 Robert Wareing Labour Independent Resigned whip after failing in a bid for reselection. Declared he would stand as an Independent candidate.

[edit] References

  • David Butler and Gareth Butler, "Twentieth Century British Political Facts" (Palgrave Macmillan, 2005)
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