Monday, 31 January 2022

WILL SHE WON'T SHE?


Labour's embattled MP for Canterbury says she is considering quitting the party.  Rosie Duffield (pictured) has been the focus of sustained harassment from the hard left and trans activists over her feminist views.  In a thread posted on Twitter (see below), Duffield said she was considering her future in the party 'very carefully'.


24 hours has since passed and no further statement has been issued.  While some have speculated that she may cross the floor to the Conservatives, this is highly unlikely given her stance on various issues including staunch opposition to Brexit, a visceral hatred of Donald Trump and a commitment to open borders.  

If she does quit Labour she will effectively be forsaking her place on the Westminster gravy train at the next election.  However, if she defended her seat as an independent she could potentially tip the ultra marginal back to the Tories as an act of vengeance.  Up until 2017 Canterbury had been blue since the First World War.

If Duffield quits no-one can blame her.  As she alludes in her Twitter thread, she has received no support from the leadership of either Corbyn or Starmer.  When the issue blew up last year Starmer failed to back her and suggested it was wrong to say only women have a cervix.  Duffield later confirmed she would not be attending the party conference due to 'safety concerns'.

Further reading