Sir Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure after refusing to apologise to Rosie Duffield, the gender-critical MP who resigned from Labour amid accusations of transphobia and internal hostility.
Ms Duffield, who represented Canterbury, stepped down from the party last September, citing relentless abuse and isolation within Labour ranks over her views on sex and gender. The MP had faced death threats and claimed that working under Sir Keir felt like being in an “abusive relationship”. She accused the Labour leader of having a “problem with women” and abandoning her when she needed support.
The row reignited during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, after Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch publicly demanded an apology from Sir Keir.
Citing last week’s landmark Supreme Court ruling that “sex” in the Equality Act refers to biological sex, Ms Badenoch criticised the Labour leader for “hiding behind” the judgment and failing to stand by Ms Duffield.
“Will the Leader of the Opposition now do the decent thing and apologise to the very brave member for Canterbury?” she asked.
Sir Keir declined to apologise, responding instead with a call for civility: “I’ve always approached this on the basis that we should treat everyone with dignity and respect. I do think that this is the time to lower the temperature, to move forward, and to conduct this debate with the care and compassion that it deserves.”
His refusal has been met with fierce criticism from both Conservatives and gender-critical campaigners, who accuse him of cowardice and political expediency.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said on social media: “Breathtaking hypocrisy from the man who hounded Rosie Duffield out of the Labour Party on this issue. Starmer should apologise to her and the public.”
Instead of seeking reconciliation, Sir Keir used the Commons exchange to attack Ms Badenoch for politicising the issue. He pointed to former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s remarks last year — when he joked about Starmer’s shifting stance on gender — as an example of insensitivity, especially given that Brianna Ghey’s mother was in attendance at the time.
“My approach will be to support the ruling to protect single-sex spaces and treat everybody with dignity and respect,” said Sir Keir. “I believe there’s a consensus in this House and the country for that approach.”
Ms Badenoch was unsparing in her response: “There is no apology for the member for Canterbury, there is no taking of responsibility. He talks about political football — he practically kicked her out of his party.”
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Speaking to LBC Radio, Ms Duffield said Sir Keir’s latest comments demonstrated that he remained more focused on managing internal party dynamics than providing moral leadership. “He’s a manager, not a leader,” she said.
Downing Street has remained cautious on the matter. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said the government welcomed the clarity provided by the Supreme Court’s ruling but stopped short of calling on Sir Keir to apologise.
“The PM has welcomed the court judgment as a welcome step forward in providing clarity in this area,” the spokesman said. “He does want this debate to be conducted with care and compassion, for everyone to be treated with dignity and respect.”
Despite his attempt to shift the tone of the debate, Sir Keir’s refusal to apologise has only deepened tensions around Labour’s handling of gender identity issues. With growing criticism from both political allies and opponents, the Labour leader finds himself navigating a treacherous political divide, as public and parliamentary pressure for accountability continues to mount.
