Rosie Duffield quits Labor with scathing attack on Keir Starmer

Rosie Duffield has resigned as a Labor MP, attacking Sir Keir Starmer’s “cruel and unnecessary policies” and the freebies row that is gripping the party.

The Canterbury MP and long-time critic of Sir Keir will remain in office as an independent after resigning from Labor “with immediate effect”.

In a scathing resignation letter, Ms Duffield criticized Sir Keir for accepting more than £100,000 in clothing, glasses and accommodation from his Labor colleague Waheed Alli.

And she condemned the Prime Minister’s decision to maintain the child benefit cap at two children while scrapping winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.

Asked about her resignation, Pat McFadden, one of Sir Keir’s closest allies, said he regretted Ms Duffield had left the party but that she had been “unhappy for some time”.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said: “I regret that Rosie has made this decision. It’s no secret that she has been unhappy for some time, the list of things mentioned in the termination letter makes that clear.

“I see ministers every day working to boost the economy, fix the NHS, build more homes and create more opportunities in schools.

“That’s the thing we’re focused on, that’s the thing we’re trying to do.

“I’m sorry she decided to leave. I like Rosie, I regret she left.

“But as the letter makes clear, I believe she has been unhappy for a while.”

Ms Duffield has regularly complained about Sir Keir and the direction of the party. The Labor leader has previously called for tolerance in the transgender debate after expressing her views.

In the letter published in The Sunday TimesMs Duffield said: “The depravity, nepotism and apparent greed are beyond measure.”

“I am so ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to damage and humiliate our once proud party.”

Referring to policy announcements since Labor came to power, she said: “Someone with well above average wealth chooses to maintain the Conservatives’ two-child limit on benefits, trapping children in poverty while receiving inexplicably expensive personal gifts from them Designers. “Suits and glasses cost more than most of these people can imagine – that’s completely unworthy of holding the title of Labor Prime Minister.”

She added: “Force a vote [on the winter fuel payment] “Making lots of older people sicker and colder while you and your favorite colleagues enjoy free family trips to events that most people would have to save up hard for – why don’t you show the slightest sign of embarrassment?”

Sir Keir has been under intense scrutiny over Lord Alli’s donations and on Saturday it emerged he had received a further £16,000 from the prominent Labor donor.

He faced calls for an investigation into the matter, with the SNP calling on the House of Commons Commissioner for Standards to launch an inquiry. The row was dubbed the “spectacle passes” after questions were raised over who approved a Downing Street pass for Lord Alli following Labor’s general election victory.

Sir Keir also used Lord Alli’s £18 million penthouse apartment for free during the general election campaign and said it was so his son could have a quiet place to study for his GCSEs.

In July, Rachel Reeves announced that older people who do not receive pension credits or other means-tested benefits will no longer receive winter fuel payments from this year.

The decision came as part of a series of spending cuts to close a “black hole” in public finances announced by the previous Conservative government by the Chancellor in July.

But the move, which will affect around 10 million pensioners, sparked anger among backbench MPs, including Ms Duffield, who spoke out against it.

In the damning resignation letter, Ms Duffield said: “Prime Minister, your leadership style and technocratic approach and lack of basic policy and political instincts have reflected on us as a party after we have worked so hard, promised so much and…” a long 14 years , being called on by the British public to return to power.

“I cannot express how angry I and my colleagues are at your complete lack of understanding of how you make us all look like this.”

Ms Duffield is a friend of author JK Rowling and was supported by Ms Rowling in a dispute over her stance on women’s and transgender rights.

She previously accused the Labor Party of giving her the cold shoulder over its views on the issue.

However, she has denied that her gender-critical views were the reason for her leaving the party, it is reported The Sunday Times: “With mine [gender critical] I just wanted these views to be taken seriously and discussed and I think as a movement the Labor Party has changed and we’re talking about these things now.”

Labor has been contacted for comment.