An outgoing Tory MP has announced that he is joining the Labour Party and will support them in the general election.
Mark Logan, who had represented Bolton North East for the Conservatives since 2019, said Labour could “bring back optimism into British life”.
He told the BBC: “I believe as a politician it’s incumbent upon me to be able to say, to look people in the eyes in Bolton and say that I believe that a Labour government is going to serve you better, your interests better, it’s going to be better for your pockets, it’s better for the economy, it’s going to be better for the UK.”
Logan becomes the third Tory MP in barely a month to switch to Labour, following Dan Poulter and Natalie Elphicke.
Logan said: “When I look back to my teenage years, in 1997 when Labour came to the fore at that time and we obviously heard the song Things Can Only Get Better, I feel that we’re at that point again in British politics and British history.”
He added: “For my constituents and for the country, it’s right that we get some stability back into the UK, we get optimism, we get new and fresh ideas.”
Logan said Rishi Sunak – who he backed to be Tory leader – could “leave politics with his head held high” if he loses the election on July 4.
But he said: “It’s more about not the the push factor of Conservatives, but the pull factor of Keir Starmer, the new cabinet that would come in, the fresh faces, the fresh ideas.”
A Conservative source said: “Much of the association wanted Mark Logan deselected for inactivity and his failure to be present in Bolton for extended periods of time.
“He has been lobbying No.10 for a peerage, so he didn’t have to bother with voters and has now jumped ship. People will reach their own conclusions as to his motivations.”
HuffPost UK revealed earlier this month, before Elphicke and Logan’s defections, that at least two Tories were preparing to jump ship to Labour before the election.
Logan’s defection is the latest blow to the prime minister as he tries to claw back Labour’s huge opinion poll lead between now and election day.
HuffPost UK has approached the Conservative Party for comment.
<p><img width="900" height="440" src="https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Jimoh-Ibrahim.jpg" class="attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Jimoh-Ibrahim.jpg 900w, https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Jimoh-Ibrahim-300x147.jpg 300w, https://www.naijanews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Jimoh-Ibrahim-768x375.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></p>
<h2>The lawmaker representing Ondo South senatorial district, <a href="https://www.naijanews.com/topic/jimoh-ibrahim/">Jimoh Ibrahim</a>, has declared his intention to contest in the governorship election in Ondo State.</h2>
<p>Ibrahim who noted that he is ready to contest, said the death of a former governor of the state, Rotimi Akeredolu, will enhance his chances of becoming the next governor.</p>
<p>The lawmaker, on Thursday, expressed optimism that there would be no imposition of a candidate from the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress and the Presidency.</p>
<p>Ibrahim, who spoke in Akure, the state capital, said President Bola Tinubu would allow a free and fair primary to enable the best candidate to emerge.</p>
<p>He said,<em> “I’m declaring my intention to run for the governorship election of Ondo State. Among the contestants, I am the oldest. I have contested election twice in my lifetime, one of which I contested for governorship position in 2003, and none of these contestants was on that ballot.</em></p>
<p><em>“The President will never say that we should go and work for the incumbent governor. He can only appeal that maybe he prefers one person if you can prefer him and if you cannot, go and do your election. So the President cannot say that I have taken this person so all of you should go and sit down. Even Buhari who is very clueless about anything can never do that.”</em></p>
<p>The APC governorship aspirant also noted that the death of former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu would not affect his chances but would rather increase the chance of winning the primary and the main election.</p>
<p>He further stated, <em>“Maybe the death of Aketi has enhanced my chances because Aketi is a human being, he can be subjectively objective at the last minute. But now that he is no more, that possibility is written off completely. So whoever is there, wants to run for governor will meet me at the field.</em></p>
<p><em>“So Aketi’s death doesn’t affect my chances at all, but it would rather enhance my chances to win the governorship position of this state. So we are working seriously to win this election."</em></p>
<p>He noted that economy and security were part of his cardinal programmes for the state, saying there was a need to empower the state Security Network Agency also known as Amotekun with modern technology to enable it to combat criminals effectively.</p>
<p>Ibrahim said, <em>“My programmes are very straightforward, we are to create moral efficiency and moral knowledge and make the body more efficient. We must also map Ondo State borders for a security network and then ensure that we will never have any cases of kidnapping, by making Amotekun a classic unique security outfit that will come with a good strategy to challenge any security issues in our state.</em></p>
<p><em>“So one of the areas we are looking at is to ensure that everybody in Ondo state can go to sleep with their eyes closed and that’s top most of our priority. Mapping every systems, the tactical operations of Amotekun have to come more distinct into technology, I want an Amotekun that is Information Technology informed because I have PhD in war."</em></p>
<p>As the primary of the political parties in the state is drawing nearer, many aspirants of the APC have shown their interest in the contest.</p>
<p>Some of them, apart from Jimoh Ibrahim, include the incumbent governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, a former Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa, a former Member of the House of Representatives Mr Mayowa Akinfolarin, the former Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Oladunni Odu (who is only the female among the aspirants), a former governorship aspirant of the APC, Chief Olusola Oke, Dr Paul Akintelure, Brig-Gen Olamide Ohunyeye (retd), among others.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.naijanews.com/2024/02/08/akeredolus-death-will-enhance-my-chances-of-becoming-ondo-governor-jimoh-ibrahim/">Akeredolu’s Death Will Enhance My Chances Of Becoming Ondo Governor – Jimoh Ibrahim</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.naijanews.com">Naija News</a>.</p>
Kemi Badenoch, John Curtice and Robert Jenrick Polling expert John Curtice believes neither Kemi Badenoch nor Robert Jenrick will be able to win back voters…
Mark Logan was elected as a Tory MP in 2019.
