Rosie Duffield ‘having chats’ about Labour return but warns Andy Burnham over gender stance

Rosie Duffield has revealed she is "having chats" about returning to Labour under Andy Burnham.

Speaking to GB News, the Independent representative warned that the expected successor to Keir Starmer must continue moving towards the “mainstream” on gender issues if he wants her support.

Ms Duffield quit Labour last year after a long-running row over gender ideology within the party.

Opining on the heavily tipped next Prime Minister, she admitted Mr Burnham was “the only possible saviour” of the party but insisted she remained unconvinced by his past support for transgender self-identification.

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In 2019, Mr Burnham was one of several Labour figures who signed a letter urging the then-Conservative Government to introduce a system of legal self-identification on gender identity, arguing it would “transform the lives of trans people”.

However, he appeared to soften his thoughts following the UK Supreme Court judgment on the definition of gender under the Equality Act last year.

The former Manchester Mayor said the ruling must be implemented “in a way that protects those spaces but does not marginalise already marginalised communities”.

“Of course I'm not going to consider supporting someone whose views on gender are so different to mine and the majority of people,” Miss Duffield said.

Pressed on whether she believed Mr Burnham still thought “trans women are women”, Ms Duffield replied: “I hope not. I don't think so.”

“We're in the same corridor at work at the moment. We've had a few chats. I'll carry on talking to him about it and see.

“I think, like a lot of people, particularly on the left, they have gone a bit more towards the mainstream.

“He realises what the stakes are now for women, and I think he supports the Supreme Court ruling. But we'll see. The jury's out. I'm waiting to find out."

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Regarding joining Labour benches again under a hypothetical Andy Burnham premiership, Ms Duffield said she was “keeping my options open”.

She told the People's Channel: “I'm definitely thinking about it. We're having chats. I'm not in a massive rush. I want to see what's happening.

“I think Andy is the only possible saviour of the Labour Party's fortunes... so I'm keeping my options open for now.”

In contrast to her careful consideration, the Independent MP criticised Labour MPs who swiftly rallied behind Mr Burnham following his by-election victory.

She accused the parliamentarians of hypocrisy for backing Sir Keir until the final moments of his premiership, then appearing to change sides to secure Cabinet roles.

“The public is seeing it, and it is just utterly ridiculous, isn't it? It's so hypocritical,” Ms Duffield slammed.

She added that colleagues had laughed privately at ministers scrambling to align themselves with Mr Burnham.

“A lot of people are lining themselves up for the top jobs, and that's the way they think they can do it.”

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