The party's leader welcomed its newest MP, Natalie Elphicke, at a speech in Dover and said her defection from the Conservatives was proof that Labour was building a broad range of support.
Starmer said Elphicke's move was "an invitation that we should be less tribal in the pursuit of a better country and invite people to our party who want to join in our object of national renewal".
He was speaking in Elphicke's constituency to announce his plan to scrap the Rwanda deportation scheme and replace it with a new specialised border security unit.
Asked where he would draw the line with rightwing politicians and whether he would welcome Nigel Farage into Labour, he said he wanted to "bring as many people with us as possible" but added that Farage was "the last person who would want to join this Labour party".
"I'm sure there are many other Tory MPs who are feeling defeated by this government," he said.
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