Independent MP Rosie Duffield has demanded an apology from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, claiming she was driven out of Labour. The MP for Canterbury said she was “hounded” over her views on gender and women-only spaces, which she perceives as Labour hounding her.
Duffield officially left the Labour Party in September 2024. She had been re-elected just months earlier under the party banner. However, tensions over her outspoken stance on biological sex quickly grew.
Duffield said many Labour members faced similar treatment. “I would like an apology for all the people who were investigated or blocked,” she said. “Some lost jobs in government and the NHS for simply stating legal views.”
The key phrase “Labour hounding” has become central to Duffield’s criticism. She repeated that phrase while describing how party members were silenced. According to her, many of these individuals remain anonymous to this day.
On April 16, the Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex. Starmer said he agrees with that decision, but Duffield believes more needs to be acknowledged.
“I think an apology would be the decent thing,” she said. “But it’s pretty obvious he won’t, that’s not his style.”
The MP made it clear she has no plans to join another political party. “My values are core Labour values,” she explained. “But I can’t return under Keir Starmer’s leadership.”
Since leaving the party, Duffield has continued to push for debate around women’s rights and legal definitions. She has also criticized what she calls a culture of silence in Labour.
“Labour hounding” is now a phrase many of her supporters use when referring to the party’s internal disputes. Duffield said that culture discourages open discussion and causes lasting damage.
Despite her departure, she said she still hopes for change. “I’d like to rejoin,” she admitted, “but not while this leadership is in place.”
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