Labour MP Rosie Duffield has revealed that 'lots of women' have repeatedly asked to meet party leader Keir Starmer to discuss the abuse she and other women have faced online from trans rights activists, but 'it hasn't happened yet'.
Ms Duffield, who won her seat in 2017 from the Conservatives, has claimed in the past that she has been branded transphobic for 'knowing that only women have a cervix'.
The politician recently revealed she would pull out of the upcoming Labour Party conference following threats from transgender rights activists.
Speaking this morning on Radio 4's Today programme to discuss her decision, she said she and other women have asked to meet with Mr Starmer to discuss the 'awful' abuse they are facing, as well as her party's position on transgender rights.
She said that while he is 'always positive' about trying to arrange a meeting, 'it just hasn't happened yet'.
Ms Duffield said she opted not to go to the conference, which is being held in Brighton later this month, because her presence would 'irritate' certain radical activists.
Yesterday, House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle weighed into the row by saying politicians should be able to appear publicly 'without fear of harm'.
The 50-year-old MP has also previously waded into the debate about access to female-only spaces.
Labour MP Rosie Duffield has revealed that 'lots of women' have repeatedly asked to meet party leader Keir Starmer to discuss the abuse she and other women have faced online from trans rights activists, but 'it hasn't happened yet'
Speaking of her decision not to attend this year's conference, Ms Duffield said: 'I took the decision a few weeks ago not to go.
'I didn't want to be the centre of attention. This is Keir Starmer's first conference speech since the pandemic. It is important we focus on that.
'I really did not want to be the news story. I did not want to get headlines for the wrong reasons.'
She added: 'Some of the messages that I have received are pretty unpleasant and there are groups that would be at Labour Party conference that my presence would irritate.'
When asked what the 'nature' of the threats are, she said: 'They are pretty awful (messages). I did not want to subject myself and other people to that kind of abuse.
'I'm not saying they are necessarily going to physically harm me but the levels of vitriol and… it is pretty horrible and I didn't feel I wanted to go through that to be honest.'
