by Of course, Rosie Duffield was splitting opinion on the rainy streets of Canterbury a day after she announced she was leaving Labour.
Ironically for TP who was a particular knife in Jeremy Corbyn’s side, two of his followers came to the strong defense of their people in Kent, who now praised Duffield for taking Keir Starmer to task.
“He doesn’t seem to like people who disagree with him, does he? And that’s a shame because it’s important to have dissenting voices in the party,” said Kate Andrews, a former probation worker who was strolling through Canterbury centre. She and her partner, Nick – a retired headteacher – also noted how Duffield opposed cuts to the winter fuel allowance and spoke out in support of former Labor MP Diane Abbott.
That said, they were on the fence about whether they would vote for Duffield in five years. So far, however, a departure from Labor has continued to make waves in Westminster.
Asked by reporters about Duffield’s weekend claim that Starmer has a “problem with women” and is “more interested in greed and power” than making changes in the country, he replied spokesperson for the prime minister with “no”.
Among her constituents, there was evidence that sentiment was having an effect, however, along with lingering anger over cuts to the winter fuel allowance for all but the poorest pensioners.
“I won’t have any influence on it but obviously people are struggling and I think it should be left as it is,” said John Rolph, who works in a charity shop in the city.
“If I’m honest, I didn’t have an opinion on whether or not she was a good or bad MP but I think a lot of people would agree with what she said. She also had a go at Starmer accepting gifts and hospitality, which again doesn’t look too good.”
However, there was no shortage of evidence that Duffield could struggle to retain the seat she has held since 2017. they were vital to Labour’s success.
Now independent, she is now the focus of speculation among some former Labor colleagues that she may eventually jump ship for Reform UK. “That’s her journey, and it would probably suit both,” said one Labor MP.
After a weekend media blitz, Duffield was not doing interviews, but told the Guardian: “I’m as likely to join Reform as Jeremy Corbyn.”
Back in Canterbury, a source in the city’s Labor party said they felt let down and said the 20,000 people who voted for them three months ago did not want to return independence to parliament.
Among those voters was Kate Tompsett, owner of the Happy and Glorious gift shop in the city centre. She said: “There was definitely a desire for change. I wanted to vote for the Green party but I was worried it would split the vote so I ended up supporting her, even if I don’t agree with her on other things.
“I think she also shouts loudly about some of those things – to the extent that it drowns out the need to speak up for the city and its needs.”
Those “things” included transgender rights. Long a high-profile gender-critical voice in the party, she described receiving threats about her position and complained that she received little support from the party leadership.
This bit of ice fell, however, with young Canterbury voters like Ethan Chuter, who said they would never vote for her again and told how their boyfriend, who is trans, was “celebrating” the news Duffield division.
“I think support for transgender rights is a big thing in our generation and shouldn’t be underestimated,” he said.
Chuter’s partner, Gonçalo Alves, said their views on Duffield were “mixed”. “As a clerk, you’d better have a Labor MP. However, in following her on social media, expecting to see her talk about Canterbury issues and policies, I came across a large percentage of tweets that were exclusively about transgender people.
“So while I’m trying to do my part as a constituent to stay informed about the state of my city, I’m instead faced with a barrage of tweets that have challenged the dignity and humanity of people like me.”
Although such issues are not front and center, they are likely to be central to Duffield’s future and who wins the seat in the next election.
While Labor benefited from an influx of new residents – young professionals priced out of London’s housing market, lured by affordable properties and the high-speed rail link – her Conservative rivals also showed tactical voting and Duffield’s own personality.
Re-elected in July with an increased majority – thanks in part to Reform UK eating into the Tory vote – Duffield’s own political wanderings may not be over just yet.
