Labour MP Rosie Duffield has slammed her own party over its inability to discuss trans issues properly. On the Today Programme this morning she said this failure has led to even MPs not being certain about the party’s policy. The discussion comes amidst the party’s ongoing trans rights row, and Duffield’s announcement that she’ll be avoiding this year’s Brighton conference:

“There are groups that would be at Labour Party conference that my presence would irritate … It’s hard to know how serious to take threats by people who post them online. I don’t always take them that seriously but they’re pretty awful and I did not want to subject myself and other people to that kind of abuse.” 

This isn’t the first time female MPs have felt threatened at Labour Party conference…

Whilst Duffield has been defended by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and Speaker of the House Lindsay Hoyle, there has been a deafening silence from Keir Starmer, who has failed to meet Duffield once since the abuse began:

“He’s always positive about trying to organise a meeting, it just hasn’t happened yet. I think it is really necessary that we actually talk about this.”

He’s clearly been too busy writing his 14,000 word credo…