Defectors

One thing I don't like is the way that just about all political parties try to run down the motives or character (or both) of any elected member – especially an MP or MEP – who changes party allegiance.

It is hardly an unknown or even all that uncommon feature of politics to change party, yet the party from whom such a member defects often derides that member in any of a number of fairly standard ways, perhaps a combination, branding them "disloyal", "cowardly" or similar. Another I have seen a few times is "they're welcome to him/her", implying that the individual was of no value.

Of course the very terms "defector" and "defection" make it sound like a form of treason, which is hardly the case, and it all just seems to roll downhill from the start...

In recent months I have encountered such behaviour by several UK parties, including (in alphabetical order) the Conservatives, Labour and UKIP. No doubt there have been others in the past, in fact I am certain of it.

It's nasty and unnecessary, but seems to be near-enough the norm in this business. What it would be more valuable to do is for that party to take a look at itself in the light of the departee's inevitable explanatory statement, and they might find something more accurate there than any attempt to smear or otherwise demean their lost member.

It's not clever and it does nothing for the standing of any party that indulges in it. Admittedly, there are some cases where the individual was disliked or even detested and reviled by at least some of his/her own party members long before jumping ship: I could name one MEP who falls into that category and point to various sources to back up this assertion, just as one recent example.

It is thus perhaps possible to bend a little in such (rare) cases, though I'd still prefer not to, as I don't like to provide excuses for bad practices even in exceptional circumstances. Where would one draw the line then? No: a bad practice is always bad, and this is one I'd like to be stopped completely, by all parties.