In the Rumpole books, Guthrie Featherstone, Q.C., M.P., was described as being a “Labour-Conservative” member of Parliament. I understand that Mortimer was joking and using it as an example of Featherstone’s on-the-fenciness, but I got to wondering: Has there ever been any such thing as a “Labour-Conservative member of Parliament” or was it purely a joke?
There’s never been a party called “Labour-Conservative”, neither has there been a coalition between the two parties. Quite a few MPs have “crossed the floor” (changed from one party to another), of course, and, especially today, the two parties share a great deal of common ground on policy issues.
Is it possible for a member of Parliament to be a member of more than one party?
At the same time, I mean.
Hmm.
I suppose it theoretically is, provided both parties were prepared to have him or her as a member at the same time. I can’t imagine any real political parties allowing this, though.
Of course, there’s no obligation for an MP to be a member of a party in the first place - notable recent examples of independant MPs are Martin Bell and George Galloway.
Quibble - George Galloway isn’t an independent, and was only thus when expelled by Labour.
Sure there has. Churchill’s government from 1940-45 was a coalition, with both parties taking roles. Churchill was PM and Clement Atlee (head of the Labour Party) was part of the cabinet and cabinet posts were spread between those parties and a few others.
Going further back, there were Liberal/Conservative coalition governments during WWI, before the Labour Party supplanted the Liberals.
acsenray - why all the British politics questions today? 
It’s not quite “Labour-Conservative”, but there was a National Labour Party, separate from the main Labour Party, that was in a coalition with the Conservatives during the 1930’s.