Alan Howarth, Baron Howarth of Newport

Formal switch. A former Conservative minister and party vice-chairman, Howarth crossed the floor to Labour in October 1995, the first Conservative MP to defect directly to Labour, citing the Major government's social policies. He left his Stratford-on-Avon seat, was elected Labour MP for Newport East in 1997 and served as a minister under Blair. His move was an early sign of New Labour's pull on the moderate Conservative wing.