Rosie Duffield Resigns from Labour, Citing ‘Cruel Policies’ and PM’s ‘Hypocrisy’ in Scathing Letter

Rosie Duffield, Member of Parliament for Canterbury, has resigned from the Labour Party, leveling criticism at Sir Keir Starmer in her departure note. In her letter, Ms. Duffield condemns the administration for implementing policies she describes as "harsh and unwarranted," and she criticizes the Prime Minister for "hypocrisy" regarding the acceptance of gifts.

Sunday, September 29, 2024, at 3

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Canterbury's representative in Parliament, Rosie Duffield, has stepped down from the Labour Party.

In her resignation letter, the 53-year-old Member of Parliament, who is the first to resign since the recent general election, chastised the prime minister for receiving gifts valued at thousands of pounds.

She informed Sir Keir Starmer that her departure was due to his commitment to a set of policies that, despite being unpopular with both the electorate and MPs, he appears resolute to maintain.

Full Resignation Letter from Rosie Duffield

In her letter, she charged the prime minister and his senior staff with "corruption, favoritism, and clear greed," claiming they are "unprecedented in scale."

"She expressed her deep embarrassment over how he and his close associates had brought shame and disgrace to their formerly esteemed party."

Sir Keir has encountered criticism following a Sky News investigation that showed he accepted significantly more complimentary gifts than any other MP since he took over as leader of the Labour Party.

Further Comments on Labour

Rosie Duffield had not anticipated leaving Labour, yet she claims Sir Keir Starmer struggles with issues related to women.

Full Text of Rosie Duffield's Resignation Letter

Rosie Duffield's letter is brutally critical, with the harshest comments aimed directly at the Prime Minister.

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From December 2019, the prime minister has been the recipient of gifts, perks, and hospitality totaling £107,145, as recorded under a designated section in the parliamentary register of MPs' interests.

Ms. Duffield, known for her previous disagreements with the prime minister regarding gender topics, criticized the government’s approach as "cruel and unnecessary" while stepping down from her position within the Labour Party.

Rosie Duffield's letter is fiercely critical, with the harshest comments aimed at the Prime Minister.

Political correspondent

In many respects, this is to be expected.

Rosie Duffield has been vocal about her dissatisfaction with the party, particularly regarding its stance on gender issues, and she has not hesitated to express her disagreement with Sir Keir Starmer.

What stands out is the harshness and intensity of the letter—it's quite brutal—and the harshest criticisms are directed at the prime minister.

She describes his latest actions to eliminate the majority of winter fuel allowances for the elderly and his decision to maintain the two-child limit on benefits as 'harsh'.

She questions, 'pushing for a decision that worsens the health and increases the discomfort of numerous elderly individuals, while you and your preferred associates partake in complimentary trips to gatherings that the average person must budget tightly for—how is it that you display no apparent shame or regret?'

Throughout the week, Sir Keir has been addressing concerns about certain donations and attempting to shift focus away from the controversy. Meanwhile, Rosie Duffield has criticized his government for what she describes as unprecedented levels of 'corruption, favoritism, and blatant greed.'

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She expressed disapproval of the choice to maintain the two-child limit on benefits and to introduce an income assessment for the winter fuel allowance. She also charged the prime minister with "hypocrisy" for accepting complimentary gifts from supporters.

"Since the new administration took office in July, the instances of hypocrisy exposed have been shocking and have grown progressively more scandalous," she stated.

"It's impossible to express the extent of our frustration and anger due to your complete misunderstanding of the situation, which has negatively impacted all of our reputations."

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Ms. Duffield also brought up the recent situation involving Diane Abbott, who believed she was prevented from running by the Labour Party before the general election. However, Sir Keir later confirmed that she could seek re-election for her Hackney North and Stoke Newington constituency with the party's backing.

Tensions between her and the Labour Party leadership have been high for some time, and her departure from the party follows the suspension of seven other Labour MPs who defied party lines by supporting a proposal to eliminate the two-child limit on benefits.

She criticized the individual of considerable wealth who supports maintaining the Conservative's restriction on welfare benefits to just two children, a policy that deepens child poverty. Meanwhile, this person also accepts lavish gifts, including designer suits and glasses, priced beyond what ordinary people can afford. She argued that someone with such actions does not deserve the title of a Labour prime minister.

Ms. Duffield stated that she will keep serving her constituents as an independent MP, remaining true to her fundamental Labour principles.

The departure stirred controversy online when Nadia Whittome, the MP for Nottingham East, expressed dissenting views on Ms. Duffield's stance against transgender reforms, suggesting on social media that the party should have revoked her whip status much earlier.

In her comments about X, Ms Whittome expressed: "Regardless of one's opinion on her declared motives for resigning, Rosie Duffield has built her political reputation by marginalizing one of society's most vulnerable communities.

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"The Labour Party ought to have revoked her membership privileges much earlier, instead of permitting her the option to resign."

Coming to Ms Duffield's aid was JK Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, who praised the MP as "one of the rare female Labour politicians brave enough to defend vulnerable women and girls."

"Don't mention her name," the author, who has faced extensive criticism recently for her opinions on transgender rights, warned Ms. Whittome.

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