LABOUR leader Keir Starmer has said he is delighted that Bury South MP Christian Wakeford has joined his party.

Mr Wakeford dramatically quit the Conservative Party this morning in protest against the the Prime Minister's leadership.

Mr Starmer said: “I would like to welcome Christian Wakeford to the Labour Party. He has always put the people of Bury South first.

“As Christian said, the policies of the Conservative government are doing nothing to help the people of Bury South and indeed are only making the struggles they face on a daily basis worse.

“People across Britain faces a cost of living crisis but this incompetent Tory government is asleep at the wheel, distracted by a chaos of its own making. Meanwhile families, businesses and pensioners are suffering from the Conservative failure to tackle rising food, fuel and energy prices.

“Labour are the only ones who have put forward a plan to help people through the Tory cost of living crisis.

“I’m determined to build a new Britain which guarantees security, prosperity and respect for all and I’m delighted that Christian has decided to join us in this endeavour.”

In his resignation letter, Mr Wakeford said: "I care passionately about the people of Bury South and I have concluded that the policies of the Conservative government led by Boris Johnson are doing nothing to help the people of the constituency and indeed are only making the struggles they face on a daily basis worse.

"Britain needs a government focused on tackling the cost of living crisis and providing a path out of the pandemic that protects living standards and defends the security of all."