Tory MP candidate forced to quit after trans comments sparked outrage
Tory MP candidate forced to step down after trans comments sparked outrage
NORWICH CONSERVATIVE FEDERATION
A Conservative general election candidate has been forced to step down just three weeks after being selected after a school complained about “incendiary comments” made to students.
Nick Rose, who was chosen by Norwich Conservative Federation to succeed Chloe Smith as the Tory Party’s North Norwich candidate, attracted criticism during a Question Time-style hustings this week.
The school made an official complaint to sitting MP Smith following the incident.
Smith, who previously served as Work & Pensions Secretary under Liz Truss and Science Secretary under Rishi Sunak, announced she was standing gown last year.
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It has been reported that he made various comments about about transgender issues and immigration during the hustings event.
Rose allegedly told the students: "A bloke wearing a dress who identifies as a woman should be not be in a woman's prison and should not be allowed in women's toilets.
"How on earth can all of you ladies here allow a bloke in a skirt into your loos? It's disgusting."
He reportedly added: "We've got too many illegal migrants coming in. It is an invasion. We are being invaded."
In a statement confirming his decision to stand down, Rose said: "I am today resigning as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Norwich North.
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An image of the hustings event
"I appreciate the opportunity to have participated in the political process and wish the party success in the upcoming election."
Rose previously defended his "plain speaking" remarks to an audience of "young adults" and said he would continue to "always speak up for the quiet majority drowned out by a woke minority".
The 54-year-old army veteran originally from Buckinghamshire, spoke to pupils at Thorpe St Andrew School and Sixth Form near Norwich on Monday.
Rose was at the hustings event on Monday with Labour opponent Alice Macdonald, Broadland Council leader Liberal Democrat Susan Holland and Green Councillor Jan Davis.
Don Evans, chief executive of Broad Horizons Education Trust which runs the high school and sixth form, said: "We are aware of a number of incendiary comments made at the Question Time event by Mr Rose.
"We do not feel those comments were appropriate to be aired in a school environment in the manner he chose to do so, as they conflict with the inclusive environment of the school community and are at odds with the content of the school’s curriculum.
Chloe Smith speaking at the Conservative Party annual conference at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham
PA
"Whilst we fully support the principle that our students should experience a broad range of views and opinions, we cannot allow our schools to become a platform for views that are fundamentally incompatible with our approach and ethos.
"We have made a complaint to Chloe Smith MP, the incumbent MP, who we understand has referred the matter to the Norwich Conservative Association."
Smith served as the local MP after gaining the seat from Labour during a by-election held in 2009.
She increased her majority from just 507 to 4,738 at the last general election.
However, North Norwich is among dozens of English seats poised to fall to Labour based on current opinion polls.
Electoral Calculus, which currently gives Labour a majority of 232 and reduces the Tories to just 135 seats, suggests Sir Keir Starmer’s candidate will romp to victory by 24.2 per cent.