List of British politicians who have crossed the floor

Members of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, British members of the European Parliament, and members of the British devolved assemblies 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. In addition, this list notes MPs who have lost or resigned a party whip to become independent, or moved from being independent to taking a party whip.

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List of Members of Parliament who have crossed the floor

Date Member Before After Notes
1698 John Grubham Howe Whig Tory
1707 Sir Robert Harley Whig Tory
1725 John Montagu, Viscount Hinchingbrooke Whig Tory
1725 Sir William Pulteney Whig Tory
1793 William Windham Whig Independent
1795 Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh Whig Tory
1795 Thomas Pelham Whig Tory
1810 Charles Watkin Wiliams-Wynn Whig Tory Tried to create a third political party, failed and joined the Tories.
1828 Charles Watkin Wiliams-Wynn Tory Whig Was not offered a position in Government.
1834 Charles Watkin Wiliams-Wynn Whig Tory Offered position in Government.
1834 Lord George Bentinck Whig Conservative
1834 Sir James Robert George Graham, 2nd Baronet Whig Conservative Resigned as First Lord of the Admiralty
1834 Lord Stanley Whig Conservative Resigned as Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
1847 Sir John Young, 2nd Baronet Conservative Peelite
1853 Sir John Young, 2nd Baronet Peelite Conservative
1868 Edward James Saunderson Liberal Conservative
1886 Joseph Chamberlain Liberal Liberal Unionist Created the Liberal Unionist Party after disagreeing with William Gladstone and splitting over Home Rule for Ireland and was the President of the Board of Trade until his defection.
1886 Sir Henry James Liberal Liberal Unionist Was the Attorney-General until his defection.
1886 Edward Heneage Liberal Liberal Unionist Was the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster until his defection.
1886 Sir George Otto Trevelyan, 2nd Baronet Liberal Liberal Unionist Was the Secretary for Scotland until his defection.
1886 Leonard Courtney Liberal Liberal Unionist Chairman of Ways and Means 1886-1893
1886 Sir Henry Havelock-Allan, 1st Baronet Liberal Liberal Unionist Was the Colonel of the Royal Irish Regiment from 1895-1897 until he was killed in battle in 1897 whilst serving as an MP.
1886 John Corbett Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 William Cornwallis-West Liberal Liberal Unionist Lord-Lieutenant of Denbighshire 1872-1917
1886 Sir William Crossman Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir Donald Currie Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 George Dixon Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Viscount Wolmer Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Viscount Ebrington Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Viscount Howick Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Viscount Baring Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Viscount Lambton Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Lord Richard Grosvenor Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Lord Edward Cavendish Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir Thomas Fraser Grove, 1st Baronet Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir Robert Jardine, 1st Baronet Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir Savile Brinton Crossley, 2nd Baronet Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir John St Aubyn, 2nd Baronet Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Hugh Elliot Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Arthur Elliot Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir Andrew Fairbairn Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir Charles Seely, 1st Baronet Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir Alexander Brown, 1st Baronet Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir Henry Wiggin, 1st Baronet Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 John Lubbock Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Francis Taylor Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Richard Frederick Fotheringham Campbell Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Archibald Corbett Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Jesse Collings Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Thomas Buchanan Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 George Dixon Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 William Kenrick Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Cathcart Wason Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Lewis Fry Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 John Corbett Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Richard Biddulph Martin Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir John Pender Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir Henry Meysey-Thompson Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 George Pitt-Lewis Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Alfred Barnes Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Lewis McIver Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Richard Chamberlain Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 George Salis-Schwabe Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Francis William Maclean Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Francis Bingham Mildmay Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Hamar Alfred Bass Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Henry Hobhouse Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 William Pirrie Sinclair Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 John Jenkins Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Robert Finlay Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 William Bickford-Smith Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Robert Thornhagh Gurdon Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Charles Fraser-Mackintosh Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Lewis Fry Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 George Hastings Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Henry Howard Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Joseph Powell-Williams Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Thomas Richardson Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Sir Julian Goldsmid, 3rd Baronet Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Peter Rylands Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 John Bright Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Jesse Collings Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 James William Barclay Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Alfred Barnes Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Michael Biddulph Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Nevil Story Maskelyne Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Edmond Wodehouse Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 William Sproston Caine Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Henry Frederick Beaumont Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Greville Richard Vernon Liberal Liberal Unionist
1888 Henry Wentworth-FitzWilliam Liberal Liberal Unionist
1888 Robert Cunninghame-Graham Liberal Independent
1888 Thomas Buchanan Liberal Unionist Liberal
1888 Sir Thomas Grove, 1st Baronet Liberal Unionist Liberal
1892 Benjamin Hingley Liberal Unionist Liberal
1893 George Joachim Goschen Liberal Unionist Conservative
1898 George Doughty Liberal Unionist Liberal
1899 Leonard Courtney Liberal Unionist Liberal
1900 George Whiteley Conservative Liberal  
1902 Cathcart Wason Liberal Unionist Liberal Resigned seat and fought by-election as an Independent Liberal
1903 Michael Foster Liberal Unionist Liberal  
1903 John William Wilson Liberal Unionist Liberal  
1904 Winston Churchill Conservative Liberal  
1904 Jack Seely Conservative Liberal  
1904 Ivor Guest Conservative Liberal  
1904 George Kemp Liberal Unionist Liberal  
1904 Lord Richard Cavendish Liberal Unionist Liberal  
1904 Edward Hain Liberal Unionist Liberal  
1904 Richard Bell Labour Liberal  
1905 John Dickson-Poynder Conservative Liberal  
1908 Archibald Corbett Liberal Unionist Liberal  
1909 Alexander Cross Liberal Unionist Liberal  
1909 Arthur Elliot Liberal Unionist Independent Stood as an independent
1909 Thomas Kincaid-Smith Liberal Independent Stood as an independent
1909 Enoch Edwards Liberal Labour
1909 Frederick Hall Liberal Labour
1909 William Johnson Liberal Labour
1909 Carlyon Wilfroy Bellairs Liberal Liberal Unionist  
1910 William Abraham Liberal Labour
1910 William Edwin Harvey Liberal Labour
1910 James Haslam Liberal Labour
1910 Thomas Richards Liberal Labour
1910 Albert Stanley Liberal Labour
1910 John Wadsworth Liberal Labour
1910 John Williams Liberal Labour
1914 William Edwin Harvey Labour Liberal  
1914 William Johnson Labour Liberal He was expelled from the Labour party for addressing Liberal party meetings and refusing to form Labour organisations in his constituency. He re-joined the Liberals.[1]
1915 John Hancock Labour Liberal He was expelled from the Labour party and re-joined the Liberals.[2]
1915 John Wadsworth Labour Liberal  
1915 William Abraham Labour Liberal  
1917 Sir Richard Cooper, 2nd Baronet Conservative Independent Those who defected in 1917 actually joined the National Party, but before the General Election of 1918 all members apart from Croft and Cooper had returned to the Conservatives or had lost their seats.
1917 Sir Henry Page Croft Conservative Independent  
1917 Lt Col. Richard Hamilton Rawson Conservative Independent  
1917 Sir Alan Hughes Burgoyne Conservative Independent  
1917 Lt Col. The Hon. Douglas George Carnegie Conservative Independent  
1917 Viscount Duncannon Conservative Independent  
1917 Sir Rowland Hunt Liberal Unionist Independent  
1917 Captain The Hon. Edward Fitzroy Liberal Unionist Independent  
1918 George Nicoll Barnes Labour Independent Had refused to resign from the Lloyd George Coalition
1918 Sir Leo Chiozza Money Liberal Labour principally over the issues of nationalisation and redistribution of wealth through taxation which, in contrast with most Liberals, he supported
1919 Cecil L'Estrange Malone Liberal Independent Subsequently joined the Communist Party of Great Britain.
1920 Sir Oswald Mosley, Bt Conservative Independent Left over the Conservative Party's Irish policy, specifically the use of Black and Tans.
1923 Gordon Ralph Hall Caine Independent Conservative
1923 James Malcolm Monteith Erskine Independent Conservative
1924 Oswald Mosley Independent Labour  
1926 Alfred Mond Liberal Conservative Defected after falling out with Lloyd George
1927 George Alfred Spencer Labour Independent Expelled from the Labour party for brokering a local settlement during the General Strike. Crossed the floor and sat on the Liberal benches.[3]
1927 Leslie Haden-Guest Labour Independent Resigned over China and tried to stand as an Independent.
1931 Sir Oswald Mosley, 6th Baronet Labour New Party Created the New Party
1931 Lady Cynthia Mosley Labour New Party Joined the New Party
1931 Oliver Baldwin Labour New Party Joined the New Party but left after one day and sat as an independent
1931 Robert Forgan Labour New Party Joined the New Party
February 1931 John Strachey Labour New Party Joined the New Party
1931 W. E. D. Allen UUP New Party Joined the New Party
1931 Cecil Dudgeon Liberal New Party Joined the New Party
1931 Oliver Baldwin New Party Independent Joined the but left after one day and sat as an independent
June 1931 John Strachey New Party Independent Did not agree with the party's drift towards fascism
1931 Ramsay MacDonald Labour National Labour Expelled 24 August for leading a coalition with Opposition parties
1931 Malcolm MacDonald Labour National Labour Resigned and followed his father on 24 August
1931 Philip Snowden Labour National Labour Expelled 25 August
1931 J. H. Thomas Labour National Labour Expelled 25 August
1931 William Jowitt Labour National Labour Followed MacDonald on 28 August
1931 George Gillett Labour National Labour Followed MacDonald on 31 August
1931 Ernest Bennett Labour National Labour Followed MacDonald on 1 September
1931 George Knight Labour National Labour Followed MacDonald on 2 September
1931 James Lovat-Fraser Labour National Labour Followed MacDonald on 2 September
1931 Craigie Aitchison Labour National Labour Followed MacDonald on 3 September
1931 Samuel Rosbotham Labour National Labour Followed MacDonald on 5 September
1931 Archibald Church Labour National Labour Followed MacDonald on 8 September
1931 Richard Denman Labour National Labour Followed MacDonald on 10 September
1931 Sir Sydney Frank Markham Labour National Labour Followed MacDonald on 16 September; later became a Conservative MP in 1950
1931 Derwent Hall Caine Labour National Labour Followed MacDonald on 23 September
1935 Katharine Stewart-Murray, Duchess of Atholl Conservative Independent Resigned Whip over the India Bill and the "socialist tendency" of the government's domestic policy.
1935 Katharine Stewart-Murray, Duchess of Atholl Independent Conservative
1937 Katharine Stewart-Murray, Duchess of Atholl Conservative Independent Resigned Whip over Anglo-Italian Agreement
1937 Katharine Stewart-Murray, Duchess of Atholl Independent Conservative
1938 Katharine Stewart-Murray, Duchess of Atholl Conservative Independent Resigned a third time, this time to stand as an Independent in opposition to Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement of Adolf Hitler
November 1939 Aneurin Bevan Labour Independent Expelled from the Labour Party for seven months for supporting a "popular front"
November 1939 Sir Stafford Cripps Labour Independent Expelled from the Labour Party for seven months for supporting a "popular front"
November 1939 George Strauss Labour Independent Expelled from the Labour Party for seven months for supporting a "popular front"
November 1939 Sir Charles Trevelyan, 3rd Baronet Labour Independent Expelled from the Labour Party for seven months for supporting a "popular front"
December 1939 Clement Davies Liberal National Independent
1942 Murdoch Macdonald Liberal National Independent
1942 Edgar Granville Liberal National Independent
February 1942 Stephen King-Hall National Labour Independent Opposed the party's considerations in wartime
July 1942 Sir Richard Acland Liberal Common Wealth Formed the Common Wealth Party after a merger of the 1941 Committee and the Forward March movement
July 1942 Vernon Bartlett Independent Progressive Common Wealth Fought the 1945 general election as an independent
May 1943 Kenneth Lindsay National Labour Independent
November 1944 John Eric Loverseed Common Wealth Independent Later joined the Labour Party
April 1945 Edgar Granville Independent Liberal
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 Conservative Expelled from party for opposition to nationalisation of steel. Granted the Conservative whip on 19 August 1949.
26 October 1948 Ivor Thomas Labour Conservative 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 1948 Denis Nowell Pritt 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.
4 August 1950 Raymond Blackburn Labour Independent Called for Winston Churchill to be Prime Minister in a Coalition government.
May 1951 John MacLeod Independent Liberal National
1951 Sir Arthur Salter Independent Conservative
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 Sir John Mellor Independent Conservative
14 July 1954 Sir Harry Legge-Bourke Conservative Independent Opposed to policy of withdrawing British base in Suez canal zone. Whip restored 18 October 1954.
18 October 1954 Sir Harry Legge-Bourke Independent Conservative
23 November 1954 S. O. Davies Labour Independent Whip withdrawn after breaking the whip over German rearmament.
23 November 1954 George Craddock Labour Independent Whip withdrawn after breaking the whip over German rearmament.
23 November 1954 Ernest Fernyhough Labour Independent Whip withdrawn after breaking the whip over German rearmament.
23 November 1954 Emrys Hughes Labour Independent Whip withdrawn after breaking the whip over German rearmament.
23 November 1954 Sydney Silverman Labour Independent Whip withdrawn after breaking the whip over German rearmament.
23 November 1954 Victor Yates Labour Independent Whip withdrawn after breaking the whip over German rearmament.
23 November 1954 John McGovern Labour Independent Whip withdrawn after breaking the whip over German rearmament.
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.
April 1955 S. O. Davies Independent Labour
April 1955 George Craddock Independent Labour
April 1955 Ernest Fernyhough Independent Labour
April 1955 Emrys Hughes Independent Labour
April 1955 Sydney Silverman Independent Labour
April 1955 Victor Yates Independent Labour
April 1955 John McGovern Independent Labour
28 April 1955 Aneurin Bevan Independent Labour
8 November 1956 Colonel 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 The Hon. Patrick Maitland Conservative Independent Resigned whip over the Suez Crisis, wanting UK involvement in Suez to continue (whip restored 23 December 1957)
13 May 1957 John Biggs-Davison Conservative Independent Resigned whip over the Suez Crisis, wanting UK involvement in Suez to continue (whip restored 11 July 1958)
13 May 1957 Anthony Fell Conservative Independent Resigned whip over the Suez Crisis, wanting UK involvement in Suez to continue (whip restored 11 July 1958)
13 May 1957 Viscount Hinchingbrooke Conservative Independent Resigned whip over the Suez Crisis, wanting UK involvement in Suez to continue (whip restored 11 July 1958)
13 May 1957 Lawrence Turner Conservative Independent Resigned whip over the Suez Crisis, wanting UK involvement in Suez to continue (whip restored 11 July 1958)
13 May 1957 Paul Williams Conservative Independent Resigned whip over the Suez Crisis, wanting UK involvement in Suez to continue (whip restored 11 July 1958)
13 May 1957 Angus Maude Conservative Independent Resigned whip over the Suez Crisis, wanting UK involvement in Suez to continue and subsequently resigned their seat.
13 May 1957 Sir Victor Raikes Conservative Independent Resigned whip over the Suez Crisis, wanting UK involvement in Suez to continue and subsequently resigned their seat.
14 November 1957 Sir Frank Medlicott 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.
16 March 1961 William Baxter Labour Independent Whip withdrawn for voting against the Army estimates.
16 March 1961 S. O. Davies Labour Independent Whip withdrawn for voting against the Army estimates.
16 March 1961 Michael Foot Labour Independent Whip withdrawn for voting against the Army estimates.
16 March 1961 Emrys Hughes Labour Independent Whip withdrawn for voting against the Army estimates.
16 March 1961 Sydney Silverman Labour Independent Whip withdrawn for voting against the Army estimates.
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.
1964 Joan Vickers Liberal National Conservative Party disbanded
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.
1966 Sir Julian Ridsdale Liberal National Conservative Party disbanded
1966 David Renton Liberal National Conservative Party disbanded
1968 Sir John Nott Liberal National Conservative Party disbanded
18 January 1968 Desmond Donnelly Labour Independent Opposed to defence cuts 'east of Suez', later joined the Conservative Party.
31 January 1968 Frank Allaun Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968. All the MPs had abstained on 18 January 1968 on a vote on spending cuts; All listed below were also suspended
31 January 1968 Norman Atkinson Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Albert Booth Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 James Dickens Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 S. O. Davies Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Michael Foot Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Will Griffiths Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Dr John Dunwoody Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Eric Heffer Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Willie Hamilton Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Emrys Hughes Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Peter Jackson Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Anne Kerr Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Russell Kerr Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Malcolm Macmillan Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 John Mendelson Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Stanley Newens Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Christopher Norwood Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Stan Orme Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Trevor Park Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 John Ryan Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Sydney Silverman Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Tom Swain Labour Independent Labour Whip suspended from 31 January 1968 to 29 February 1968.
31 January 1968 Carol Johnson Labour Independent Labour Had abstained in protest at the Whips' lack of disciplinary action.
24 August 1970 Gerry Fitt Republican Labour SDLP Formed new party.
30 September 1971 Ian Paisley Protestant Unionist DUP Protestant Unionists merged into new party.
16 February 1972 Ray Gunter Labour Independent Labour Opposed to take-over of party by middle-class intellectuals.[4]
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  
9 July 1974 Christopher Mayhew Labour Liberal Believed Labour was too vulnerable to left takeover.
11 October 1975 John Dunlop Vanguard UUUP Split with leadership over proposal for voluntary power-sharing in Northern Ireland.
1975 James Kilfedder UUP 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 UUP 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 UUP Party wound up.
24 August 1979 Gerry Fitt SDLP 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 Democratic Resigned whip prior to launch of new party, which he joined on 2 March 1981.
20 February 1981 Tom Ellis Labour Social Democratic Resigned whip prior to launch of new party, which he joined on 2 March 1981.
2 March 1981 Tom Bradley Labour Social Democratic Formed new party.
2 March 1981 John Cartwright Labour Social Democratic Formed new party.
2 March 1981 John Horam Labour Social Democratic Formed new party.
2 March 1981 Robert Maclennan Labour Social Democratic Formed new party.
2 March 1981 John Roper Labour Social Democratic Formed new party.
2 March 1981 David Owen Labour Social Democratic Formed new party.
2 March 1981 Bill Rodgers Labour Social Democratic Formed new party.
2 March 1981 Neville Sandelson Labour Social Democratic Formed new party.
2 March 1981 Mike Thomas Labour Social Democratic Formed new party.
2 March 1981 Ian Wrigglesworth Labour Social Democratic Formed new party.
16 March 1981 Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler Conservative Social Democratic  

Formed new party

19 March 1981 Edward Lyons Labour Social Democratic  
4 July 1981 James Wellbeloved Labour Social Democratic  
7 September 1981 Michael O'Halloran Labour Social Democratic  
1 October 1981 Dr Dickson Mabon Labour Social Democratic  
5 October 1981 Bob Mitchell Labour Social Democratic  
6 October 1981 David Ginsburg Labour Social Democratic  
7 October 1981 James Dunn Labour Social Democratic  
7 October 1981 Tom McNally Labour Social Democratic  
29 October 1981 Eric Ogden Labour Social Democratic  
16 November 1981 John Grant Labour Social Democratic  
30 November 1981 George Cunningham Labour Independent Labour  
2 December 1981 Ronald Brown Labour Social Democratic  
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 Democratic  
22 December 1981 Ednyfed Hudson Davies Labour Social Democratic  
22 January 1982 Bryan Magee Labour Independent Labour
March 1982 Bryan Magee Independent Labour Social Democratic
16 June 1982 George Cunningham Independent Labour Social Democratic  
2 August 1982 Robert Mellish Labour Independent Labour Dispute with local party.
10 February 1983 Michael O'Halloran Social Democratic Independent Labour Not selected as a candidate for the subsequent election.
31 January 1987 John Ryman Labour Independent  
19 May 1988 Ron Brown Labour Independent Whip suspended until 19 August 1988 over misconduct.
19 August 1988 Ron Brown Independent Labour Whip suspended over misconduct.
14 March 1990 Dick Douglas Labour Independent Opposed to party acquiescence in administering the Poll Tax.
4 October 1990 Dick Douglas Independent SNP  
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.
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 Sir Nicholas Budgen Conservative Independent Conservative Whip suspended until 24 April 1995 after failing to back Conservative government in confidence motion.
29 November 1994 Michael Carttiss Conservative Independent Conservative Whip suspended until 24 April 1995 after failing to back Conservative government in confidence motion.
29 November 1994 Christopher Gill Conservative Independent Conservative Whip suspended until 24 April 1995 after failing to back Conservative government in confidence motion.
29 November 1994 Teresa Gorman Conservative Independent Conservative Whip suspended until 24 April 1995 after failing to back Conservative government in confidence motion.
29 November 1994 Antony Marlow Conservative Independent Conservative Whip suspended until 24 April 1995 after failing to back Conservative government in confidence motion.
29 November 1994 Richard Shepherd Conservative Independent Conservative Whip suspended until 24 April 1995 after failing to back Conservative government in confidence motion.
29 November 1994 Sir Teddy Taylor Conservative Independent Conservative Whip suspended until 24 April 1995 after failing to back Conservative government in confidence motion.
29 November 1994 John Wilkinson Conservative Independent Conservative Whip suspended until 24 April 1995 after failing to back Conservative government in confidence motion.
29 November 1994 Sir 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 Deselected by local Conservative association.
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 Direction of party under William Hague
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.
10 December 2001 Paul Marsden Labour Liberal Democrat Left Labour over the war in Afghanistan. First Labour MP to join the Liberal Democrats since they were created.
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 David Burnside UUP Independent Unionist Resigned whip over opposition to the Belfast Agreement. Accepted the whip back on 9 January 2004.
2 October 2003 Rev. Martin Smyth UUP Independent Unionist Resigned whip over opposition to the Belfast Agreement. Accepted the whip back on 9 January 2004.
2 October 2003 Jeffrey Donaldson UUP Independent Unionist Resigned whip over opposition to the Belfast Agreement.
23 October 2003 George Galloway Labour Independent Expelled from Party.
5 January 2004 Jeffrey Donaldson Independent Unionist DUP  
25 January 2004 George Galloway Independent Respect
25 January 2004 Ann, Lady Winterton Conservative Independent Whip suspended over misconduct.
31 March 2004 Ann, Lady Winterton Independent Conservative
10 December 2004 Andrew Hunter Independent Conservative DUP  
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.
7 March 2005 Jonathan Sayeed Independent Conservative .
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.
25 April 2005 Brian Sedgemore Labour Liberal Democrat Unhappy with the direction Labour were heading
20 October 2006 Clare Short Labour Independent Resigned whip. Declared support for a hung parliament at the next election.[5]
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. After sitting as an 'Independent Conservative' for some time, he severed links with the party in October 2008 and designated himself as Independent only.
November 2007 Robert Wareing Labour Independent Resigned whip after failing in a bid for reselection. Initially declared he would stand as an Independent candidate.
29 January 2008 Derek Conway Conservative Independent Whip suspended pending the conclusion of an investigation into the accusations he misused his Parliamentary Allowances.
12 March 2008 Bob Spink Conservative Independent Resigned the party and announced this on the floor of the house. Conservatives subsequently tried to suspend the whip which Spink had already resigned following disagreement with party policy and the 'dubious' activities of his local party
22 April 2008 Bob Spink Independent UKIP Having previously resigned the Conservative whip, Spink apparently joined United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) on 22 April 2008, thus becoming that party's first MP.
Unknown, before April 2009 Bob Spink UKIP Independent
9 January 2010 Iris Robinson DUP Independent Was expelled from the DUP and subsequently stood down as an MP on the 13th
8 February 2010 David Chaytor Labour Independent Whip suspended over the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal after criminal charges of false accounting were brought.
8 February 2010 Jim Devine Labour Independent Whip suspended over the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal after criminal charges of false accounting were brought.
8 February 2010 Elliot Morley Labour Independent Whip suspended over the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal after criminal charges of false accounting were brought.
25 March 2010 Sylvia, Lady Hermon UUP Independent Resigned from party to fight for re-election as an Independent in opposition to the electoral pact between the Ulster Unionists and the Conservative Party.
19 May 2010 Eric Illsley Labour Independent Whip suspended over the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal after criminal charges of false accounting were brought.
14 October 2010 Denis MacShane Labour Independent Whip suspended over the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
23 February 2012 Eric Joyce Labour Independent Whip suspended after drunkenly assaulting fellow politicians on the parliamentary estate
5 July 2012 Denis MacShane Independent Labour Retakes the Whip after Police decide not prosecute over the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
2 November 2012 Denis MacShane Labour Independent Whip suspended after a Parliamentary committee found that he had submitted 19 false invoices for expenses that were "plainly intended to deceive" during the United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal[6]
6 November 2012 Nadine Dorries Conservative Independent Had the whip removed after taking part in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here![7]
8 May 2013 Nadine Dorries Independent Conservative Whip returned[8]
31 May 2013 Patrick Mercer Conservative Independent Resigned the Conservative Party whip on the 31 May 2013 after an ongoing enquiry by the BBC's Panorama programme regarding allegations relating to lobbying.[9]
4 June 2013 Mike Hancock Liberal Democrat Independent Hancock announced that he had temporarily resigned from the Liberal Democrats until a forthcoming court case, involving allegations of sexual offences made against him, has ended.
19 July 2013 David Ward Liberal Democrat Independent Whip withdrawn over anti Israel remarks.[10]
10 September 2013 Nigel Evans Conservative Independent On 10 September 2013 it was announced that he was to be charged with eight sexual offences which include rape and sexual assault, allegedly committed between January 2002 and April 2013. The following day he announced his resignation as deputy speaker and denied any wrongdoing.[11] He also announced that he would continue to sit as a backbench MP, but would not take the Conservative whip.[12]
19 September 2013 David Ward Independent Liberal Democrat Received whip back
10 April 2014 Nigel Evans Independent Conservative Found not guilty on all charges, so returned to the Conservative benches
28 August 2014 Douglas Carswell Conservative UKIP Defected and resigned as MP, triggering by-election which he won.
27 September 2014 Mark Reckless Conservative UKIP Defected and resigned as MP, triggering by-election which he won.
22 February 2015 Jack Straw Labour Independent Suspended from the party and whip withdrawn after being secretly filmed apparently offering their services to a private company for cash.[13]
23 February 2015 Sir Malcolm Rifkind Conservative Independent Suspended from the party and whip withdrawn after being secretly filmed apparently offering their services to a private company for cash.[13]
29 September 2015 Michelle Thomson SNP Independent Resigned whip over allegations of mortgage fraud.[14]
24 November 2015 Natalie McGarry SNP Independent Resigned whip while being investigated in relation to funds going missing from the accounts of Women for Independence.[15]
28 December 2015 Simon Danczuk Labour Independent Suspended from the Labour Party following allegations of sending sexually explicit text messages to a 17-year-old girl.
27 April 2016 Naz Shah Labour Independent Suspended from the Labour Party following allegations of making anti-semitic remarks.

List of Members of Parliament who were suspended from their parliamentary party

These MPs were suspended by their Parliamentary Parties but continued to receive the Whip.

Date Member Party Notes
22 March 2010 Patricia Hewitt Labour Suspended over the allegations from the 2010 Cash for Influence Scandal
22 March 2010 Geoff Hoon Labour Suspended over the allegations from the 2010 Cash for Influence Scandal
22 March 2010 Stephen Byers Labour Suspended over the allegations from the 2010 Cash for Influence Scandal
22 March 2010 Margaret Moran Labour Suspended over the allegations from the 2010 Cash for Influence Scandal
5 November 2010 Phil Woolas Labour Suspended after being found to have breached the Representation of the People Act 1983; his 2010 general election victory was declared void and he was barred from holding public office for 3 years;[16]

List of Members of the House of Lords who have crossed the floor

Date Member Before After Notes
1703 John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll Tory Whig Critic of the Tories.
1710 Richard Savage, 4th Earl Rivers Whig Tory
1711 John Ashburnham, 1st Earl of Ashburnham Tory Whig
1783 Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel Whig Independent Resigning as a protest against the Peace of Paris
1793 William Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl Fitzwilliam Whig Independent
1793 William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland Whig Independent
1794 William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland Independent Tory
1794 Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle Whig Tory
1801 Thomas Pelham, 2nd Earl of Chichester Whig Tory
1802 Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough Whig Tory
1812 George James Cholmondeley, 4th Earl of Cholmondeley Whig Tory
1830 Ulick de Burgh, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde Tory Whig
1834 Francis Conyngham, 2nd Marquess Conyngham Tory Whig
1834 Charles Gordon-Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond Whig Conservative Resigned as Postmaster General
1834 Frederick Robinson, 1st Earl of Ripon Whig Conservative Resigned as Lord Privy Seal
1846 Edward Eliot, 3rd Earl of St Germans Conservative Whig
1884 Lawrence Dundas, 1st Marquess of Zetland Whig Conservative
1886 Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Charles Pelham, 4th Earl of Yarborough Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Francis Russell, 9th Duke of Bedford Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Richard de Aquila Grosvenor, 1st Baron Stalbridge Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Thomas Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Edward Hyde Villiers, 5th Earl of Clarendon Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Francis Russell, 9th Duke of Bedford Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Roundell Palmer, 1st Earl of Selborne Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Albert Parker, 3rd Earl of Morley Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Richard Dawson, 1st Earl of Dartrey Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 Thomas Spring Rice, 2nd Baron Monteagle of Brandon Liberal Liberal Unionist
1886 George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll Liberal Independent
1895 Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne Liberal Liberal Unionist
1902 Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire Liberal Unionist Conservative
1904 Ivor Guest, 1st Baron Wimborne Conservative Liberal
1905 Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne Liberal Unionist Conservative
1920 John Wodehouse, 2nd Earl of Kimberley Liberal Labour First Labour Peer
1945 Frederick James Marquis, 1st Earl of Woolton Independent Conservative
1947 Charles Kerr, 1st Baron Teviot Liberal National Conservative
1959 David Rees Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore Labour Liberal
1975 Alan Mais, Baron Mais Labour Liberal
1979 Alfred Robens, Baron Robens of Woldingham Labour Conservative In later life became aligned with the Conservatives after becoming unhappy with how left wing the Labour Party was heading.
1979 Alun Jones, Baron Chalfont Labour Independent
1979 Richard Marsh, Baron Marsh Labour Independent
1981 George Brown, Baron George-Brown Labour Social Democratic
1981 Elaine Burton, Baroness Burton of Coventry Labour Social Democratic
1981 John Diamond, Baron Diamond Labour Social Democratic
1981 Walter Perry, Baron Perry of Walton Labour Social Democratic
1982 John Edward Poynder Grigg, 2nd Baron Altrincham Conservative Social Democratic
1982 Wayland Hilton Young, 2nd Baron Kennet Labour Social Democratic
1982 Martin Attlee, 2nd Earl Attlee Labour Social Democratic
1982 Herbert Bowden, Baron Aylestone Labour Social Democratic
1982 Phyllis Stedman, Baroness Stedman Labour Social Democratic
1982 George Thomson, Baron Thomson of Monifieth Labour Social Democratic
1982 Henry Wilson, Baron Wilson of Langside Labour Social Democratic
1988 Phyllis Stedman, Baroness Stedman Social Democratic Independent Opposed the SDPs merger with the Liberals and so created the Social Democratic Party (UK, 1988)
1992 Robert Skidelsky, Baron Skidelsky Social Democratic Conservative
1995 John Diamond, Baron Diamond Social Democratic Labour
1997 David Alton, Baron Alton of Liverpool Liberal Democrat Independent Was unhappy with the pro-choice stance of certain colleagues
1997 John Attlee, 3rd Earl Attlee Independent Conservative Grandson of Labour Prime Minister Clement Attlee
1997 Vere Harmsworth, 3rd Viscount Rothermere Conservative Labour Over the parties policies
1998 David Hacking, 3rd Baron Hacking Conservative Labour Over the parties European policies
1998 Hugh Thomas, Baron Thomas of Swynnerton Conservative Liberal Democrat Over the parties policies
1998 Cherry Drummond, 16th Baroness Strange Conservative Independent Over reduction in the number of hereditary peers
1999 Timothy Beaumont, Baron Beaumont of Whitley Liberal Democrat Green The Green Party's first peer.
2000 Barbara Young, Baroness Young of Old Scone Labour Independent Became a crossbencher after taking up an appointment as Chief Executive of Environment Agency
2000 Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare Conservative Independent Expelled from party and jailed for perjury and perverting the course of justice.
1992 Robert Skidelsky, Baron Skidelsky Conservative Independent
2002 David Stoddart, Baron Stoddart of Swindon Labour Independent Expelled for backing a Socialist Alliance candidate instead of Labour
2004 Edward Haughey, Baron Ballyedmond UUP Conservative
30 May 2004 Lord Pearson of Rannoch Conservative Independent Expelled from Party for backing UKIP
30 May 2004 Leopold Verney, 21st Baron Willoughby de Broke Conservative Independent Expelled from Party for backing UKIP
30 May 2004 David Robert Stevens, Baron Stevens of Ludgate Conservative Independent Expelled from Party for backing UKIP
30 May 2004 Baroness Cox Conservative Independent Expelled from Party for backing UKIP
23 September 2005 Christopher Haskins, Baron Haskins Labour Independent Expelled for donating £2,500 to Liberal Democrats
2005 Mike Watson, Baron Watson of Invergowrie Labour Independent Expelled from the Party after being imprisoned for causing a fire
2007 Lord Black of Crossharbour Conservative Independent Expelled from the party after being convicted of fraud in a US court in 2007 and sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment.
2007 David Trimble, Baron Trimble UUP Conservative
7 January 2007 Lord Pearson of Rannoch Independent UKIP Joined UKIP
7 January 2007 Leopold Verney, 21st Baron Willoughby de Broke Independent UKIP Joined UKIP
25 February 2009 Nazir Ahmed, Baron Ahmed Labour Independent Expelled from Party after conviction for dangerous driving.
20 May 2009 Thomas Taylor, Baron Taylor of Blackburn Labour Independent Whip withdrawn and suspended from party over Cash for Influence. First Peers suspended from the House of Lords since the 17th Century.
20 May 2009 Lord Truscott Labour Independent Whip withdrawn and suspended from party over Cash for Influence and later quit party. First Peers suspended from the House of Lords since the 17th Century.
5 February 2010 Paul White, Baron Hanningfield Conservative Independent He stepped down from his frontbench role and was charged with two alleged offences under section 17 of the Theft Act 1968 ("false accounting"). This is due to United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
16 July 2010 John Taylor, Baron Taylor of Warwick Conservative Independent Resigned from party and was charged with six counts of false accounting. This is due to United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal
18 October 2010 Pola Uddin, Baroness Uddin Labour Independent Instructed to repay £125,349 as well as being suspended from Parliament until the end of the present session of Parliament; see United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal.
18 October 2010 Swraj Paul, Baron Paul Labour Independent Instructed to repay £41,982 as well as being suspended from Parliament for four months; see United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal. Resigned from the party.
18 October 2010 Amir Bhatia, Baron Bhatia Labour Independent Instructed to repay £27,446 as well as being suspended from Parliament for eight months; see United Kingdom Parliamentary expenses scandal.
6 February 2011 Anthony Jacobs, Baron Jacobs Liberal Democrat Independent Due to opposition to party policies on taxation.
6 February 2011 Lucius Cary, 15th Viscount Falkland Liberal Democrat Independent Due to opposition to direction of the party
23 February 2012 Jenny Tonge, Baroness Tonge Liberal Democrat Independent Quit the party rather than apologise due to strong criticisms of Israel.[17][18]
16 April 2012 Nazir Ahmed, Baron Ahmed Labour Independent Suspended after allegedly calling for a £10 million bounty for the capture of President of the United States Barack Obama and former President of the United States George W. Bush. Subsequently revealed comments were not made[19]
30 June 2012 Nazir Ahmed, Baron Ahmed Independent Labour Suspension lifted after investigation clears Ahmed.[20]
June 2012 Ken Maginnis, Baron Maginnis of Drumglass UUP Independent In June 2012, the UUP Whip was withdrawn from Maginnis by party leader Mike Nesbitt over his anti-gay remarks. Maginnis subsequently resigned from the UUP on 28 August 2012.[21]
July 2012 Mike Watson, Baron Watson of Invergowrie Independent Labour Re-admitted to the Labour Party.
18 September 2012 Lord Stevens of Ludgate Independent UKIP Joined UKIP[22]
14 March 2013 Nazir Ahmed, Baron Ahmed Labour Independent Suspended for alleged antisemitism
1 June 2013 Brian Mackenzie, Baron Mackenzie of Framwellgate Labour Independent In 2013, it is alleged that Mackenzie offered to lobby for a firm in return for cash against parliamentary rules. He was consequently suspended from the Labour Party pending an inquiry
1 June 2013 Jack Cunningham, Baron Cunningham of Felling Labour Independent In 2013, it is alleged that Cunningham offered to lobby for a firm in return for cash against parliamentary rules. He was consequently suspended from the Labour Party pending an inquiry
1 June 2013 John Laird, Baron Laird UUP Independent In 2013, it is alleged that Laird offered to lobby for a firm in return for cash against parliamentary rules. He subsequently resigned the UUP Whip.
20 January 2014 Chris Rennard, Baron Rennard Liberal Democrat Independent Suspended from the party for refusing to apologise over sexual assault claims against him.[23]
20 August 2014 Chris Rennard, Baron Rennard Independent Liberal Democrat Re admitted to the Liberal Democrats
21 March 2015 Paul Strasburger, Baron Strasburger Liberal Democrat Independent Resigned over donor allegations[24]
21 March 2015 Qurban Hussain, Baron Hussain Liberal Democrat Independent Resigned after illegally bringing a child into the UK from Pakistan[25]
27 July 2015 John Sewel, Baron Sewel Labour Independent Had the whip withdrawn following newspaper reports of involvement in an orgy featuring prostitutes and cocaine.
4 October 2015 Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis Labour Independent Relinquished the Labour whip while heading a commission on major infrastructure projects.
19 October 2015 Norman Warner, Baron Warner Labour Independent Resigned from the Labour Party in protest at the direction the party was heading under Jeremy Corbyn.
24 October 2015 Anthony Grabiner, Baron Grabiner Labour Independent Resigned from the Labour Party in protest at the direction the party was heading under Jeremy Corbyn.

List of Members of the European Parliament who have crossed the floor

Date Member Before After Notes
1984 Michael Gallagher Labour Social Democratic He was the Social Democrats' only MEP
1997 Ken Coates Labour Scottish Socialist Expelled from the Labour Party
1997 Hugh Kerr Labour Scottish Socialist Expelled from the Labour Party
1998 James Moorhouse Conservative Liberal Democrat Defects after being de-selected
1998 Brendan Donnelly Conservative Pro-Euro Conservative Later joined the Lib-Dems
1998 John Stevens Conservative Pro-Euro Conservative Later joined the Lib-Dems
6 May 1999 Christine Oddy Labour Independent Expelled from the Labour Party[26][27]
2000 Michael Holmes UKIP Independent Resigned from party
2000 Bill Newton Dunn Conservative Liberal Democrat Felt that the Conservatives were increasingly negative towards the prospect of Britain playing a leading role in Europe
2002 Richard Balfe Labour Conservative Had been expelled from the Labour Party for standing for the post of quaestor
2004 Robert Kilroy-Silk UKIP Veritas Created new party
2004 Ashley Mote UKIP Independent Expelled whilst pending fraud trial
2007 Tom Wise UKIP Independent Expelled whilst pending fraud trial
2007 Jim Allister DUP TUV Created new party
2007 Sajjad Karim Liberal Democrat Conservative Joined Conservatives because he was 'impressed by David Cameron's stance on immigration'
2008 Den Dover Conservative Independent Expelled from the Conservatives
September 2009 Edward McMillan-Scott Conservative Independent Expelled from the Conservatives for opposing the creation by the Conservative Party of European Conservative and Reformists, alleging far-right extremism in the group
January 2010 Nikki Sinclaire UKIP Independent Expelled from UKIP for refusal to sit with UKIP's Europe of Freedom and Democracy group, which she alleged had far-right and extremist elements
March 2010 Edward McMillan-Scott Independent Liberal Democrat Cited support for Nick Clegg and internationalist agenda of the party
May 2011 David Campbell Bannerman UKIP Conservative Joined the Conservatives after claiming UKIP was not a 'credible political force'
March 2012 Roger Helmer Conservative UKIP Quit the Conservative Party due to believing that UKIP represented Conservative Values[28]
16 October 2012 Andrew Brons BNP Independent Resigned from the BNP, alleging "constructive dismissal"[29]
February 2013 Marta Andreasen UKIP Conservative Joined the Conservatives after describing leader Nigel Farage as "a Stalinist" who was "anti-women"
September 2013 Mike Nattrass UKIP Independent Nattrass failed a candidate assessment test in August 2013 and was deselected by the party for the 2014 European election.[30] He took the party to court over the decision, but lost.[31] He left UKIP in September 2013.[32][33]
September 2013 Godfrey Bloom UKIP Independent On 20 September 2013, during the party conference, UKIP withdrew the whip from Bloom. At a party conference meeting he had jokingly referred to his female audience as "sluts".[34] Subsequently,[35] he assaulted journalist Michael Crick in the street by hitting him over the head with the conference brochure,[36][37] reportedly threatened violence to ITV reporter, Paul Brand, by saying, "You treat me badly, you'll get a lot worse than that (Crick's slap) ... that is a threat to any journalist."[34]
January 24, 2015 Amjad Bashir UKIP Conservative Joined the Conservatives after being suspended from UKIP due to allegations of impropriety.
March 20, 2015 Janice Atkinson UKIP Independent Expelled from UKIP due to allegations of impropriety

List of London Assembly Members who have crossed the floor

Date Member Before After Notes
September 2005 Damian Hockney UKIP One London First joined Veritas then created new party One London
September 2005 Peter Hulme-Cross UKIP One London First joined Veritas then created new party One London
2010 Richard Barnbrook BNP Independent Expelled from the BNP

List of Members of the Welsh Assembly who have crossed the floor

Date Member Before After Notes
2000 Rod Richards Conservative Independent Conservative[38] Whip withdrawn after abstaining on a budget vote[39]
2005 Peter Law Labour Independent Left party in protest at the use of all-woman shortlists
2009 Mohammad Asghar Plaid Cymru Conservative Explained that he was a "Unionist" and against Welsh independence, First AM to defect and first ethnic minority and Muslim member of the Assembly also Wales' first Muslim Councillor
2010 Mick Bates Liberal Democrat Independent Suspended after it was discovered that he will be prosecuted for assault

List of Members of the Scottish Parliament who have crossed the floor

Date Member Before After Notes
2002 Dorothy-Grace Elder SNP Independent Left the party and sat as an independent
2003 Margo Macdonald SNP Independent Ranked low on the party list for re-election so stood as an independent and was expelled from party; re-elected as an independent
2004 Campbell Martin SNP Independent Expelled from party and stood as an independent
2005 Mike Watson, Baron Watson of Invergowrie Labour Independent Expelled from the Party after causing a fire and resigned
2005 Brian Monteith Conservative Independent Had whip withdrawn over misconduct
2006 Rosemary Byrne Scottish Socialist Solidarity Created new Party Solidarity
2006 Tommy Sheridan Scottish Socialist Solidarity Created new Party Solidarity
2011 Hugh O'Donnell Liberal Democrats Independent Quit party over its direction
April 2012 Bill Walker SNP Independent Expelled from the SNP for allegedly not declaring the allegations cited in his uncontested divorce proceedings during the MSP vetting process.
October 2012 John Finnie SNP Independent Resigned from the SNP on 23 October 2012 over the party's decision to support Nato membership for an independent Scotland.[40]
October 2012 Jean Urquhart SNP Independent Resigned from the SNP on 23 October 2012 over the party's decision to support Nato membership for an independent Scotland.[40]
September 2014 John Wilson SNP Independent Resigned from the SNP in 2014 over the party's decision to support Nato membership for an independent Scotland.[40]
October 2014 John Finnie Independent Scottish Green Joined the Scottish Green Party, but still sits as an Independent MSP
December 2014 John Wilson Independent Scottish Green Joined the Scottish Green Party, but still sits as an Independent MSP

List of Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly who have crossed the floor

Date Member Before After Notes
1999 Cedric Wilson UK Unionist NI Unionist Disagreed with UKUP leader Robert McCartney, as they wanted to remain in the Assembly to challenge unionists in favour of the Belfast Agreement
1999 Patrick Roche UK Unionist NI Unionist Disagreed with UKUP leader Robert McCartney, as they wanted to remain in the Assembly to challenge unionists in favour of the Belfast Agreement
1999 Norman Boyd UK Unionist NI Unionist Disagreed with UKUP leader Robert McCartney, as they wanted to remain in the Assembly to challenge unionists in favour of the Belfast Agreement
1999 Roger Hutchinson UK Unionist NI Unionist Disagreed with UKUP leader Robert McCartney, as they wanted to remain in the Assembly to challenge unionists in favour of the Belfast Agreement
2000 Roger Hutchinson NI Unionist DUP
2003 Jeffrey Donaldson UUP DUP
2003 Nora Beare UUP DUP
2003 Arlene Foster UUP DUP
23 November 2005 Francie Molloy Sinn Féin Independent Suspended from party, after publicly disagreeing with the party policy on eliminating many district councils, including the Dungannon Council of which he was a member.
15 January 2007 Geraldine Dougan Sinn Féin Independent Resigned from party
2 February 2007 Davy Hyland Sinn Féin Independent Resigned from party
2007 Paul Berry DUP Independent Stood as an independent but was not elected
February 2007 George Ennis DUP UK Unionist
29 November 2007 Gerry McHugh Sinn Féin Fianna Fáil Believed that "Fianna Fáil was the right party to bring about change in Northern Ireland". Although a member of Fianna Fáil, McHugh sat as an Independent.
30 March 2010 Major Alan MacFarland UUP Independent Disagreed with the UUP's electoral pact with the Conservative Party
3 June 2010 Dawn Purvis PUP Independent Disagreed with direction of party
3 January 2011 David McClarty UUP Independent Resigned after being de-selected[41]
27 January 2012 David McNarry UUP Independent Suspended from the UUP.[42]
4 October 2012 David McNarry Independent UKIP Joined UKIP.[42]
14 February 2013 Basil McCrea UUP NI21 Formed new party
14 February 2013 John McCallister UUP NI21 Formed new party
10 July 2014 John McCallister NI21 Independent Response to allegations of impropriety against leader Basil McCrea

References

  1. ↑ Liberals: A History of the Liberal and Liberal Democratic Parties By Roy Douglas
  2. ↑ Who's who of British members of parliament
  3. ↑ The Derbyshire miners: a study in industrial and social history
  4. ↑ Gunter wrote to Chief Whip Robert Mellish: "I should be less than human if I did not shrink from being kicked out by the middle-class intellectuals who now control the party. I will go out with some dignity and quietly, I just resign the whip." See "Intellectuals in control of Labour, Mr Gunter says", The Times, 17 February 1972, p. 2.
  5. ↑ Matthew Tempest and Hélène Mulholland (14 September 2006). "Short faces expulsion after calling for hung parliament". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  6. ↑ "BBC News - MP's expenses: Denis MacShane resigns over false invoices". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-11-02. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  7. ↑ Mulholland, Helene (6 November 2012). "Tory party suspends Nadine Dorries | Politics". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  8. ↑ "Nadine Dorries reinstated as Conservative MP", BBC News, 8 May 2013
  9. ↑ "Tory MP Patrick Mercer Quits The Party". Sky News. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  10. ↑ Rajeev Syal (18 July 2013). "Lib Dems withdraw party whip from MP David Ward over Israel comments | Politics". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  11. ↑ "Nigel Evans quits as First Deputy Chairman of Ways and Means amid sex charges". BBC News. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  12. ↑ "Nigel Evans resigns as deputy speaker with emotional speech to MPs". The Guardian. 11 September 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
  13. 1 2 "Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Jack Straw have whip withdrawn over 'sting'". BBC News. 23 February 2015.
  14. ↑ "The SNP MP Michelle Thomson resigns the whip as police investigate her property deals". The New Statesman. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
  15. ↑ "Natalie McGarry withdraws from SNP whip over campaign fund probe". BBC News. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  16. ↑ Curtis, Polly (5 November 2010). "Phil Woolas immigration leaflets case: high court orders election rerun in Oldham East". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  17. ↑ Watt, Nicholas (29 February 2012). "Lady Tonge resigns Lib Dem party whip over Israel remarks". The Guardian (London: Guardian News and Media). Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  18. ↑ "Baroness Tonge Resigns Liberal Democrat Whip In Lords After Israel Jibe". Huffington Post UK. 29 February 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  19. ↑ "BBC News - Peer suspended after bounty claim". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-04-15. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  20. ↑ "BBC News - Labour lifts Lord Ahmed's suspension". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-06-30. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  21. ↑ Maginnis quits UUP, tells Nesbitt to resign, The Newsletter, 28 August 2012
  22. ↑ "Former Conservative peer Lord Stevens to join UK Independence Party". BBC News (BBC). 18 September 2012. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  23. ↑ "BBC News - Lord Rennard: Peer suspended after apology row". BBC News Online. 2014-01-16. Retrieved 2014-01-20.
  24. ↑ "Lord Strasburger resigns from Lib Dems over donor allegations". BBC News. 21 March 2015.
  25. ↑ http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/liberal-democrat-peer-qurban-hussain-5379225
  26. ↑ "'You're expelled' twist in Oddy row. - Free Online Library". Thefreelibrary.com. 1999-05-14. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  27. ↑ Oliver, Jonathan. "Ex-Euro MP sues Labour | Mail Online". London: Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  28. ↑ "BBC News - Conservative MEP Roger Helmer joins UKIP". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-03-03. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  29. ↑ "BBC News - Euro MP Andrew Brons 'no longer' BNP member". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-10-16. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  30. ↑ "Mike Nattrass: West Midlands MEP 'failed' selection for UKIP". BBC News. 2013-08-27. Retrieved 2013-09-07.
  31. ↑ Jonathan Walker (2013-08-29). "UKIP MEP Mike Nattrass loses selection battle". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  32. ↑ "BBC News - West Midlands UKIP MEP Mike Nattrass quits party". Bbc.co.uk. 2013-09-12. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  33. ↑ "Ukip a 'totalitarian party,' says resigning MEP - Channel 4 News". Channel4.com. 2013-09-12. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  34. 1 2 "Godfrey Bloom: UKIP MEP Calls Women 'Sluts'", Sky.com, 20 September 2013
  35. ↑ Rowena Mason "Ukip's Godfrey Bloom has whip removed after 'sluts' remark", theguardian.com, 20 September 2013
  36. ↑ "Thwack! MEP's blunders derail Ukip party conference", Channel 4 News, 20 September 2013
  37. ↑ "Ukip MEP Godfrey Bloom whacks Michael Crick over the head with party brochure", telegraph.co.uk, 20 September 2013
  38. ↑ Staff reporter (23 June 2000). "Rod Richards cleared of assault". BBC News. Retrieved 6 June 2013. He has remained an independent Conservative member of the assembly for north Wales.
  39. ↑ Staff reporter (8 February 2000). "Tory AM's 'conspiracy' claim". BBC News. Retrieved 6 June 2013. Mr Richards made his bitter attack on Nick Bourne after his fellow Tory AMs withdrew the party whip from him - excluding him from the Assembly's Conservative group.
  40. 1 2 3 "MSPs John Finnie and Jean Urquhart quit SNP over Nato policy". BBC News. 23 October 2012. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  41. ↑ Clarke, Liam (23 March 2012). "David McClarty may return to UUP if Mike Nesbitt elected leader". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
  42. 1 2 "BBC News - Strangford MLA David McNarry joins UK Independence Party". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-10-04. Retrieved 2013-09-20.

Bibliography

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