In this country, crossing the floor is very rare and members who do it can expect all manner of invective. I've seen all the comments above hurled at members of both sexes but it is often said that women cop more.

We had a party leader here a few years back called Cheryl Kernot who defected from the party she was leading. Turned out that she was having an affair with a prominent (and also married) government minister but of course the news media never report personal details about members until after they leave office.