\n
Duffield and Sir Keir have long had a strained relationship.<\/p>\n
But that she has chosen to go so soon into his premiership, and with such bitter criticism of him, is a surprise and certainly damaging for the prime minister.<\/p>\n
Her letter is not prefaced by any of the niceties that sometimes accompany such departures. Instead it is deliberately, publicly cutting about him, his leadership, his policies and his behaviour.<\/p>\n
Those around Sir Keir were certainly hoping that the criticism over donations was dying down, and that his Downing Street could move on and focus on “delivery”.<\/p>\n
Duffield’s letter has placed that issue, and the disquiet among Labour MPs over means-testing the winter fuel allowance, right back in the spotlight.<\/p>\n
It has given ammunition to Sir Keir\u2019s critics. Conservatives will no doubt quote them liberally at their Party Conference this week.<\/p>\n
Ms Duffield may prove to be a lone dissenter choosing to resign so soon after Labour\u2019s landslide.<\/p>\n
But the manner of her departure will have repercussions that reverberate for some time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\n
In her letter, Duffield also criticised the prime minister for promoting people with “no proven political skills” and said he had been “elevated immediately to a shadow cabinet position without following the usual path of honing your political skills on the backbenches”.<\/p>\n
Sir Keir was given a shadow home office cabinet role in 2015, just two months into his time as an MP, and in turn appointed several newly-elected MPs to junior ministerial positions in 2024.<\/p>\n
One of those, Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer, is the son of Sir Keir’s first shadow attorney general Lord Falconer, while Liam Conlon, son of Number 10 chief of staff Sue Gray, was made a parliamentary aide to Department for Transport.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
Duffield’s relationship with senior figures in the party has especially been strained over her views on trans issues – where she had used social media to outline her own position.<\/p>\n
She believes there should be protected spaces where those born male are not allowed to go, like domestic violence refuges and prisons, and she is against people being able to self-identify as trans to gain access to those spaces.<\/p>\n
Differences with Sir Keir surfaced again during this year\u2019s general election campaign, when he was questioned about his past criticism of her stance on trans issues.<\/p>\n
She was previously placed under investigation by the party after she liked a tweet from comedy writer Graham Linehan.<\/p>\n
In January 2024 she said the party’s National Executive Committee “completely exonerated” her of allegations of antisemitism and transphobia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
Responding to Duffield\u2019s resignation, Nadia Whittome, Labour MP for Nottingham East, said: “It is deeply disappointing that she has been allowed the privilege of resigning, as she should have lost the whip a long time ago.\u201d <\/p>\n
But Dr Simon Opher, Labour’s MP for Stroud, said he was “really sorry” the party had lost her.<\/p>\n
“While I may not share all her politics, I know that we have everything to gain by working together.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
Tory leadership contender Tom Tugendhat said Duffield “made her point very clear… Labour Party and Keir Starmer government is not about service. It’s not about delivering for the British people. It’s about self service.”<\/p>\n
Asked by the BBC if Duffield would be welcomed into the Conservative Party, Tugendhat said: “That’s really a decision for her… but I strongly suspect she won’t be asking”.<\/p>\n
Fellow Tory leadership challenger James Cleverly, who like Tugendhat is arriving in Birmingham for the Conservative Party conference, told the BBC: “She’s said it all.”<\/p>\n
Tory leadership rival Robert Jenrick declined to comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n