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The MP who defected from the Tories to Labour yesterday has apologised for comments she made supporting her ex-husband after he was convicted of sexual assault.

After former Tory MP Charlie Elphicke was jailed for two years in 2020 for assaulting two women, Natalie Elphicke told the Sun the fact he was “attractive” and “attracted to women” had made him an “easy target for dirty politics and false allegations”.

She called the trial unfair and said the allegations were “complete nonsense” and called her ex-husband “charming, wealthy, charismatic and successful”.

Several Labour MPs said they were not comfortable having an MP in their party who has defended a sex offender.

Jess Phillips, former shadow domestic violence minister, said Mrs Elphicke should “account for her actions”.

Just over 24 hours after defecting, Mrs Elphicke released a statement apologising for her comments.

She said: “My decision to join the Labour Party is not one I have taken lightly but one I made because I am convinced that this country needs a new government led by Keir Starmer to fix the problems we see from housing to small boats.

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“I always knew that this decision would put a spotlight on the prosecution of my ex-husband and I want to address some of the commentary around this head on.

“The period of 2017-2020 was an incredibly stressful and difficult one for me as I learned more about the person I thought I knew. I know it was far harder for the women who had to relive their experiences and give evidence against him.

Read more: Natalie Elphicke defends MP husband after conviction

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Defecting Tory MP crosses floor to Labour

“I have previously, and do, condemn his behaviour towards other women and towards me. It was right that he was prosecuted and I’m sorry for the comments that I made about his victims.

“It is vital that women can have confidence in the criminal justice system and our rates of prosecution and conviction are far too low as a country.

“Keir Starmer’s mission to halve male violence against women and girls is critical and I wanted to take the opportunity to express my explicit support for Labour colleagues working to realise it.”

Mrs Elphicke ended her marriage to Mr Elphicke moments after he was convicted but supported his unsuccessful appeal, which is when she made the “attractive” comments.

She had supported him until he was convicted and was seen entering the court with him most days of his trial.

After he stepped down as an MP she stood in his Dover seat and won with a large majority.

She will not be standing again in the next election.

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Inquiry into Southport stabbings announced after Axel Rudakubana admits murder

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Inquiry into Southport stabbings announced after Axel Rudakubana admits murder

An inquiry into the Southport stabbings has been announced by the government.

It comes after Axel Rudakubana, 18, admitted murdering Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, in the attack in Southport, Merseyside, in July last year.

In a statement, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said that now there has been a guilty plea, “the families and the people of Southport need answers about what happened leading up to this attack”.

Politics latest: PM says ‘grave questions to answer’ over Southport

It has now emerged that Rudakubana was referred to the government anti-extremism scheme – known as Prevent – three times before the murders due to a fixation with violence.

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Southport murderer – what you need to know

In her statement, Ms Cooper said these three referrals happened in the 17 months between December 2019 and April 2021, when Rudakubana was 13 and 14 years old.

He was also in contact with the police, the courts, the youth justice system, social services and mental health services.

“Yet between them, those agencies failed to identify the terrible risk and danger to others that he posed,” Ms Cooper said.

“We also need more independent answers on both Prevent and all the other agencies that came into contact with this extremely violent teenager as well as answers on how he came to be so dangerous.”

Axel Rudakubana. Pic: Merseyside police
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Axel Rudakubana. Pic: Merseyside police

Rudakubana is set to be sentenced on Thursday – with the judge saying a life sentence is “inevitable”.

Sir Keir Starmer said earlier today: “The news that the vile and sick Southport killer will be convicted is welcome.

“It is also a moment of trauma for the nation and there are grave questions to answer as to how the state failed in its ultimate duty to protect these young girls.

“Britain will rightly demand answers. And we will leave no stone unturned in that pursuit.”

After the attacks in July 2024, there were calls for more information about what was known by authorities to be released and violent riots took place across the country.

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Mugshot of Axel Rudakubana released
People of Southport are trying to make sense of horror

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Southport attacker pleads guilty

Ms Cooper said the government was not able to release more information sooner about Rudakubana because the Crown Prosecution Service wanted to “avoid jeopardising the legal proceedings” – including any potential trials – “in line with the normal rules of the British justice systems”.

However, the government launched an “urgent” review into Rudakubana’s contact with Prevent last summer – and details will be published this week.

Ms Cooper said this “terrible case” comes against a “backdrop” of increasing numbers of teenagers being referred to Prevent, investigated by anti-terror police being referred to other agencies “amid concerns around serious violence and extremism”.

“We need to face up to why this has been happening and what needs to change,” she said.

Speaking earlier today, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “As we learn more details of Axel Rudakubana’s horrific crimes, my thoughts are first and foremost with the victims’ families.

“We will need a complete account of who in government knew what and when. The public deserves the truth.

“This case is still in court and there are, properly, limits on what can be said at this stage.

“But once it concludes on Thursday with sentencing, there are many important questions the authorities will need to answer about the handling of this case and the flow of information.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage accused the government of a “cover-up”, and said the “vacuum of information” led to the riots.

He called on Ms Cooper to make an apology in the Commons.

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Circle CEO ‘strongly in favor’ of Trump repealing SAB 121

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Circle CEO ‘strongly in favor’ of Trump repealing SAB 121

Jeremy Allaire expects President Trump to issue several crypto-friendly executive orders.

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Trump’s ‘America First Priorities’ exclude any mention of crypto, BTC

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Trump’s ‘America First Priorities’ exclude any mention of crypto, BTC

President Trump’s key priorities for his second term include improving public safety, pursuing energy independence, promoting “American values” and cutting back on government excess.

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