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A Labour MP says she is considering whether to quit the party after accusing the leadership of doing little to protect her from harassment.
Rosie Duffield, the MP for Canterbury, is set to make a decision about her future within days after a party member accused her of moving 200 miles away from her constituency to be with her partner, a documentary-maker, in Wrexham.
It follows months of harassment from some activists over her views on trans rights, which she says has been carried out in a bid to oust her.
Miss Duffield has represented Canterbury since 2017 and is the only Labour MP in the whole of Kent.
On her own: Labour’s Rosie Duffield says party leaders have failed to protected her from being harassed by activists
If she does decide to quit, it would be an embarrassment for Sir Keir Starmer, who wants to attract southern voters away from the Conservatives.
The MP has expressed gender-critical views and was called transphobic after liking a tweet saying women were people with cervixes.
She said she felt unable to attend last year’s Labour conference because of the controversy generated by her remarks. She says she is ‘completely supportive of trans rights’.
Miss Duffield described the new allegations about her living arrangements, made in a blogpost, as ‘personal, libellous, nasty and fictional c**p’.
Ms Duffield is Labour’s only MP in all of Kent
‘All [of this was] published [or] written by ex and current Labour members who are clearly absolutely obsessed by my private life for some reason,’ she tweeted.
‘I have been subjected to this rubbish for several years now. It is obsessive harassment.
‘Neither the Labour party or either the former or current Leader or the Whips’ Office have done anything at all to stop it, to offer me any support, help or legal assistance. I am financially unable to pursue a libel action.
‘Kent police, parliamentary security team and the Speaker’s Office have been helpful but it is the Labour party that have offered me no support at all since I unexpectedly became an MP five years ago. I am today considering my future in the party very carefully.’
Later she added: ‘Thank you very much to all who are sending supportive messages but just to be clear, this issue in no way relates to my stance on women’s rights.
‘I need support from Labour in Kent and against the constant stream of fictional and factional bile that is written about me.’
A Labour party spokesman said: ‘The party continues to be in touch with Rosie Duffield and has offered her advice and support.’
Source: Daily Mail
