33 student Labour clubs slam party in row over Duffield and trans rights

Dozens of university Labour clubs have issued a statement condemning the party after Rosie Duffield said allegations of antisemitism and transphobia made against her had been dismissed by the national executive committee.

The students’ statement – published this week – “condemn[s] in the strongest terms” the NEC’s dismissal of Duffield’s case and claims Labour “cannot be a progressive party when we are endorsing rhetoric that creates hate and misery for our trans siblings”. It has been signed by 33 university Labour clubs.

According to the Labour backbencher, she was placed under investigation by the party last year in relation to allegations of antisemitism and transphobia that she “strenuously denied”.

The exact reasoning behind the investigation has not been confirmed, but sources claimed in the Sunday Times that it was launched after Duffield reportedly liked a tweet by TV writer Graham Linehan. Screenshots shared on social media appear to corroborate this.

Linehan had tweeted a link to a news story with the headline “Eddie Izzard: ‘I’m a trans superhero – but if I’d lived in Nazi Germany I’d have been murdered for it’,” and commented: “Ah, yes, the Nazis, famously bigoted against straight white men with blonde hair.” Duffield declined to comment when approached by LabourList on either the Sunday Times report or this story.

But Duffield said in a statement on X last week that “existing allegations” against her had been “dismissed” by the party’s NEC and that she had been “completely exonerated”, writing: “There was no case to answer, and nothing I had done had breached any Labour Party rule.”

A Labour source said at the time that the party does not provide a running commentary on investigations, and a party spokesman declined to comment when asked today in Westminster by LabourList.

The Labour MP said she expects to be formally confirmed as the party’s candidate for Canterbury – the seat she has represented in parliament since 2017 – “shortly”.

The joint statement from university Labour clubs “condemn[s] in the strongest terms the NEC’s dismissal of the case regarding Rosie Duffield liking a tweet… seemingly denying that transgender people were targeted by the Nazis”.

Statement from 33 Labour Societies – we stand with our trans siblings for liberation and equal rights for all pic.twitter.com/yC72I8LmVg

— Cardiff Labour Students (@LSCaerdydd) January 8, 2024

According to the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York, the “Nazi government… brutally targeted the trans community, deporting many trans people to concentration camps and wiping out vibrant community structures” – in comments highlighted in the statement.

The university clubs’ statement continues: “It is core to Labour values that we stand with all marginalised communities, for equal rights and liberation for all. We cannot be a progressive party when we are endorsing rhetoric that creates hate and misery for our trans siblings.

“The fact that this is tolerated by the leadership and NEC brings great shame on our movement and must be opposed by all members committed to social justice and trans liberation.

“We stand with the trans community and with all members who have been abused for standing with the LGBT+ community, and we implore internal candidates to do the same.”

Lord Austin of Dudley – a former Labour MP who now sits as a non-affiliated member of the House of Lords – told the Sunday Times that the investigation into Duffield was “madness”.

He said: “There are very few MPs who have fought antisemitism as strongly and as consistently as Rosie Duffield. She is one of the very few MPs who turned up and showed her support for the ‘enough is enough’ demonstration against antisemitism in 2018 and has consistently opposed antisemitism ever since.”

Labour Students also declined to comment.