Labour's Marsha De Cordova resigns as Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary

[GreenUp]

Just saw this on twitter:

Marsha de Cordova MP
@MarshadeCordova
·

1/2 It has been an immense privilege to serve as the Shadow Women and Equalities Secretary for the past 17 months.

It therefore comes with much sadness that I am resigning with immediate effect.

2/2 Having only been elected in 2017 for the historically marginal constituency of Battersea, I would like to focus more of my time and efforts on the people of Battersea.

I will continue to support Keir Starmer from the backbenches.

twitter.com/MarshadeCordova/status/1437775078389948423?s=20

Wonder if she was pressurised to resign after declining to go to the Stonewall LGBT event at the Labour conference....

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/labours-equality-secretary-marsha-de-cordova-snubs-trans-event-6jkfztz76

Maybe's she's hoping not to go to the LP conference? It's apparently too dangerous for Rosie Duffield MP to attend with Starmer's extended silence clearly demonstrating that he doesn't give a toss about the safety of women MPs, so perhaps she's decided it's not worth the risk to her safety?

She may just not want the job. It is a poisoned chalice at the moment.

Also, Battersea is a key marginal

Firmly Tory in local elections (cheap council tax, for services no no better/worse than its neighbours, is always a winner) but changes hands in general elections

She apparently refused to attend a joint Stonewall Labour event despite pressure from Starmer. I very much doubt this is a real resignation. I guess she's been sacked for being troublesome.

One reply suggesting Eddie Izzard might fill the post.

Shame. It seems like she was a bit too sensible for the LP.
Dread to think who'll be in that position next.

Another win for the train 🚆. Maybe a pyrrhic victory though? There's only so many capable women any party can lose and be taken seriously.

That is a real shame.

Times article on the thing she refused to attend. It looks like she had peaked.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/labours-equality-secretary-marsha-de-cordova-snubs-trans-event-6jkfztz76

I found Cordova's position interesting. She supported 'reform' of the GRA but also women's rights to single sex spaces:

mobile.twitter.com/MarshadeCordova/status/1311993483973062661

She was certainly less madly TWAW than some in her party.

I wonder if she thinks only women have a cervix? It would be good if she'd say so but can understand why she might not want to.....

I saw this - I assumed that, being in the pro-Corbyn camp, she'd be fully signed up but a pleasant surprise to find this isn't the case. I do like it when people make up their own minds on the issues that matter to them rather than thoughtlessly accepting that, since they're in favour of A, it automatically follows that they're also in favour of B, C and D.

I was pro Corbyn. I've been gender critical since the first time I saw gender ID bollocks online. There are loads of us.

@MrsOvertonsWindow

Maybe's she's hoping not to go to the LP conference? It's apparently too dangerous for Rosie Duffield MP to attend with Starmer's extended silence clearly demonstrating that he doesn't give a toss about the safety of women MPs, so perhaps she's decided it's not worth the risk to her safety?

This is horrifying to read. What a bunch of totalitarian shits they are.

At a time when we need a strong opposition, the Labour party is tearing itself apart. Labour is delusional and I don't see them improving any time soon.

It's shocking isn't it LangClegsInSpace that Starmer can't manage even a whispered "stop it" to all those in his party who are openly threatening so many women?
Why on earth he thinks women will vote for a party that nurtures and celebrates such toxic masculinity I can't imagine.

I know loads of pro Corbyn gender critical people too, mainly in their 40s/50s, old school lefties.

The last line of an article in The Guardian about this is interesting;

'One senior MP said the role would be difficult to fill, citing tensions at a senior level over the party’s stance on transgender rights.'

I hope she's jumped and was not pushed. Maybe she has the insight to think this will prove a better track record in the long run.

I do think it's the nail in the coffin of Starmer's on the fence, well maybe second nail after the silence over Rosie Duffield. I really struggle with the fact an elected MP can't be safely accommodated at conference.

I do think it's the nail in the coffin of Starmer's on the fence

Unfortunately so. He didn't sign that stupid pledge and that was the only thing that kept me hanging on. As a leader he's very obviously between a rock and a hard place, but his approach just isn't going to work.

This issue poisons absolutely everything it touches now, and it is simply not fair on women.

Interesting. I'm not convinced that anyone would really resign a shadow cabinet job just to spend more time with Battersea, 3 years before the next general election.

Give Rosie Duffield the job

@Violetparis

The last line of an article in The Guardian about this is interesting;

'One senior MP said the role would be difficult to fill, citing tensions at a senior level over the party’s stance on transgender rights.'

Hm. That is interesting.

Oh that is very, VERY interesting.

If you stand silent when one of your own female MPs is too scared to attend conference you are part of the problem.