Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield quits Labour Party over ‘sleaze, nepotism and greed’

Rosie Duffield, MP for Canterbury, has resigned as a Labour MP, condemning “cruel and unnecessary policies” of the government and a row over donations and gifts received by Keir Starmer.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Duffield, who has served as the MP for the Kent constituency since 2017, she said: “The sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice are off the scale. I am so ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to tarnish and humiliate our once proud party.”

The Times reports that the letter also condemned the decision to retain the two-child benefit cap and means test the winter fuel payment.

“The sleaze, the nepotism and the apparent avarice are off the scale. I am so ashamed of what you and your inner circle has done to tarnish and humiliate our once proud party”

Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield quits Labour pic.twitter.com/nWa49q9gri

— Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) September 28, 2024

She wrote: “Forcing a vote to make many older people iller and colder while you and your favourite colleagues enjoy free family trips to events most people would have to save hard for — why are you not showing even the slightest bit of embarrassment?”

Duffield also said that the Prime Minister’s “managerial style, technocratic approach and lack of basic politics and political instincts have come crashing down on us as a party”.

“How dare you take our longed-for victory, the electorate’s scared and precious trust and throw it back in their individual faces and the faces of dedicated and hardworking Labour MPs?!,” she added.

Her letter ends: “I hope to be able to return to the party in the future, when it again resembles the party I love, putting the needs of the many before the greed of the few.”

The move comes just 85 days after her re-election as a Labour MP, with an increased majority of over 8,500 votes. She will now sit as an independent MP in the House of Commons.

Duffield has attracted criticism among some in the party for her gender critical views and had previously said in January 2022 that she was “considering her future in the Labour Party very carefully” due to “harassment” by party members and a supposed lack of support from the party leadership.

Duffield faces calls to trigger by-election

NEC member Jess Barnard told LabourList said: “Like most LGBTQ+ members I’ll be glad to see the back of Rosie Duffield.

“She has for a long time played a significant role in creating a hostile environment for trans people in the Labour Party and she should’ve had the whip removed a long time ago.

“Despite herself accepting financial gifts and freebies, it’s hard to believe this is her red line. Let this be a lesson to Starmer placating opportunists like Rosie will never pay off and Labour should never tolerate transphobia.”

Barnard also questioned why Duffield did not vote against the two-child benefit cap or speak out at conference over the winter fuel allowance.

“It goes without saying she should stand down and trigger a by-election,” Barnard said.

Another NEC member, Abdi Duale, posted on social media: “Funny how people find their principles after winning five more years in Parliament.”

Praful Nargund, Labour councillor in Islington and the party’s candidate in Islington North at the general election, said: “If you get elected with a red rosette and then quit the party, on a principle you should resign and call a by-election.”

‘She should never have been allowed the privilege of resigning’

Labour MP Nadia Whittome said Duffield should “never have been allowed the privilege of resigning” and said Labour should have withdrawn the whip “long ago”.

She said: “No matter your views on her stated reasons for quitting, Rosie Duffield has made a political career out of dehumanising one of the most marginalised groups in society.”

No matter your views on her stated reasons for quitting, Rosie Duffield has made a political career out of dehumanising one of the most marginalised groups in society.

She should never have been allowed the privilege of resigning. Labour should have withdrawn the whip long ago.

— Nadia Whittome MP (@NadiaWhittomeMP) September 28, 2024

The Labour for Trans Rights group heralded Duffield’s decision to quit the party and said: “This is a massive step towards a more trans-inclusive Labour Party. There is so much more to do, but tonight is going to be a good one.”

According to Joe political correspondent Ava Evans, one Labour MP has said it had been long assumed Duffield would resign the Labour whip post-election and questioned why she had been selected as a candidate for the general election.

‘Duffield blazed a trail in party and across UK’

The gender-critical group Labour Women’s Declaration expressed regret that Duffield had quit the party and said: “Rosie Duffield is one of a small number of politicians who have blazed a trail in our party and across the UK in speaking up for women’s and girls’ sex-based rights, in spite of threats and abuse from those who oppose our free speech.

“She has also endured years of drawn-out investigations by the party following vexatious complaints.  Though exonerated every time, “the process is the punishment” and this takes its toll.

“Wes Streeting expressed regret about the treatment of Rosie and other gender critical women, whom he said he understood better after he really listened to what they had to say.  We ask all members of the party leadership to follow his lead. ”

Duffield is the eighth MP to have been elected as Labour now sitting as an independent, with seven others having the whip removed over backing an amendment to the King’s Speech.

Her resignation from the Labour Party comes days after the conclusion of the party’s annual conference in Liverpool and a day before the start of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.

The Labour Party has been approached for comment.

Recap on all of the news and debate from party conference 2024 by LabourList here.

SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected]. 

SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning. 

DONATE: If you value our work, please donate to become one of our supporters here and help sustain and expand our coverage.

PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or content, email [email protected].