Former Labour MP Rosie Duffield has revealed "Labour's women problem" was a key factor in her decision to leave the party.
The Canterbury MP, who resigned from Labour in September 2024, explained her departure came after years of conflict over her gender-critical views.
Her comments come as LGBT+ Labour faces criticism for allowing Steph Richards, a transgender woman, to stand for women's officer at the group's annual meeting on July 19.
The Trans Rights Alliance has nominated Richards as part of their slate of candidates for the committee.
Rosie Duffield has revealed "Labour's women problem" was a key factor in her decision to leave the party
GB NEWS
Discussing this on GB News, Duffield said: "Steph has form. They turn up most weeks to the Women and Equalities Select Committee, which I sit on Tuesday or Wednesday.
"I don’t know, perhaps they don’t have a job. Here we go again with a man, a biological man, attempting to stand as a women’s officer, not a trans officer, a women’s officer. And both Lesbian Labour and LGBT Labour are very unhappy about this."
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Martin Daubney: "So, Rosie Duffield, the law seemed to state the obvious. Science has always stated the obvious. You’ve previously said you believe Sir Keir Starmer has a woman problem. Do you think he still does?"
Rosie Duffield: "I mean, I think the Labour Party traditionally has got a bit of a women problem.
"I mean, all the resignations we’ve seen since Keir Starmer’s latest government are from women. And we all talk about the lads and the sort of male culture. So, yeah, it’s largely perceived that we do have a bit of a women’s issue."
Martin said: "And yet we’re still at a position where a biological man with a piece of paper that says they’re a woman seems to trump reality. It trumps the Supreme Court and it trumps science. Will this ever change?"
She said: "I’d like to think that the Supreme Court has made a difference legally, and I think there are some groups considering legal action.
"If the Labour Party doesn’t redress this, and they should do, because it was made very clear that women’s positions and women’s spaces are not anything to do with those certificates.
"They’re for biological women for those purposes, and that includes women’s officers. There are lots of other roles, I’m sure, that Steph could occupy, but not women’s officer."
Martin later said: "And Rosie, do you feel liberated now to be no longer a part of the Labour Party? When you see stories like this, do you think, thank goodness I’m gone?"
LGBT+ Labour faces criticism for allowing Steph Richards, a transgender woman, to stand for women's officer
XShe responded: "Yes, I really do, because it’s just a weight off my shoulders. It’s not directly my problem anymore.
"It’s annoying, but there are lots of other people left who have got to sort this out. And until it is all sorted out, I wouldn’t dream of re-joining the Labour Party."
The Supreme Court's April ruling established that the word "sex" in the Equality Act refers to biological sex rather than gender identity, a judgment that Sir Keir Starmer has urged public bodies to comply with "as soon as possible".
Richards, who possesses a gender recognition certificate, defended the candidacy to LabourList: "I am legally female, other than in regards to the Equality Act and the Act does not apply to the position within LGBT+ Labour so I am thoroughly within my legal right and my moral right to be able to stand for this position."
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