Letter concerning Rosie Duffield MP’s conduct
On 9 July 2025, Equality Amplified submitted a formal letter of concern to the Women and Equalities Committee and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards regarding the conduct of Rosie Duffield MP. The letter details multiple instances of transphobic rhetoric and behaviour, including public comments and social media posts that mock trans people and the Committee’s work on trans equality.
We argue that Ms Duffield’s actions breach the Parliamentary Code of Conduct and the mandate of the Women and Equalities Committee. Her behaviour has caused demonstrable harm to trans individuals and undermines the integrity of the Committee’s work. We are calling for a formal review of her fitness to serve on the Committee and for clarity on the procedures for addressing conduct incompatible with the Committee’s mission.
The letter is supported by over 300 impact statements and originally signed by 348 individuals. However, in light of the potential for backlash and targeted harassment, we have chosen not to publish the signatories’ names online.
We stand by our demand for accountability, respect, and inclusive representation in Parliament.
Read the letter in full below with alt text following underneath.
Alt Text
Subject: Formal Concern – Conduct Rosie Duffield MP
Dear Committee Members and Commissioner Greenberg,
On behalf of the LGBTQ+ people and allies who have signed this letter, I write to express serious and urgent concerns regarding the conduct of Rosie Duffield MP, whose recent public statements and social media activity raise profound questions about her suitability to continue serving on the Women and Equalities Committee.
This Committee holds a critical responsibility: To uphold the rights and dignity of all individuals protected under the Equality Act 2010, including trans people. Members of this Committee are expected to demonstrate a commitment to fairness, inclusion, and respectful engagement across the full spectrum of equality issues.
What follows is a detailed account of Ms Duffield’s conduct and their consequences, followed by a formal request for action by Commissioner Greenberg and Committee members to uphold its stated values and mandate.
1. Direct statements mocking the remit of the Committee
On 1 July 2025, Ms Duffield retweeted the following post:
“There was a predictable shitshow at the Transvestites Equality Committee yesterday … Thank God for @RosieDuffield1”
(see appendix 1, figure 1, page 7).
She also posted on X:
“I admit, on the 3rd or 4th question repeating ‘trans rights’, I left the room. We are the Women and Equalities Committee, so it grates a tad constantly hearing only about the poor be-penised loves every week. Not 1 of those men-prioritising MPs represents the majority view…”
(see appendix 1, figure 2, page 7).
These are not careless or impulsive remarks. They are targeted, derogatory, mocking, and bring the Committee’s duty to represent all protected groups into disrepute. They also suggest a refusal to engage seriously with matters of trans equality.
2. Impact on trans people and constituents
Ms Duffield’s conduct doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Her language directly harms trans people, especially young trans people and those already experiencing social marginalisation.
When a sitting MP and member of the Women and Equalities Committee uses slurs, derides the concept of trans rights, and walks out of committee sessions in protest at their inclusion, she sends a message that trans lives are not worth listening to. This undermines the Committee’s credibility and signals to trans constituents—many of whom already face discrimination, poor mental health outcomes, and barriers to healthcare—that they will not be treated with dignity or fairness by Parliament.
Any trans person living in Ms Duffield’s own Canterbury constituency must now grapple with the fact that their elected representative openly mocks their existence and has built her platform on undermining their rights.
This conduct deepens mistrust, alienates vulnerable people from democratic institutions, and risks inflaming stigma and hostility in wider society.
Page 10 contains a selection of 39 impact statements, drawn from over 300 submissions sent in by Ms Duffield’s constituents and others that feel directly affected by her conduct. We urge you to read them closely—they offer raw, firsthand accounts of the harm her words and actions have caused.
3. Breach of Committee standards and Parliamentary Code, bringing the House into disrepute
The Committee is responsible for advancing equality across all protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, including gender reassignment.
Members are expected to uphold impartiality, respect, and dignity for all groups. The House of Commons Code of Conduct requires MPs to treat others with respect and prohibits discriminatory language or behaviour. Ms Duffield’s repeated conduct violates these standards and erodes the ethical foundation of the Committee and brings not only the Committee, but also the House into disrepute.
We believe Ms Duffield has breached or failed to uphold the following code sections and standards, and brings the House into disrepute by her actions:
i. House of Commons Code of Conduct
General Obligations, Section 4(b): MPs must treat others with respect and dignity—including colleagues, public servants, and members of the public.
Ms Duffield’s rhetoric like “be‑penised” and “Transvestites Equality Committee” are derogatory and disrespectful toward transgender people, a protected group.
General Obligations, Section 4(c): MPs must not discriminate against, harass, or victimise individuals based on protected characteristics.
These actions constitute discrimination and harassment based on gender reassignment, protected under the Equality Act 2010.
ii. Women & Equalities Committee Mandate
The Committee’s remit includes scrutinising policies across all protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.
Members are expected to engage impartially and respectfully with evidence and views from all communities.
Ms Duffield openly dismissed trans-related questions, left sessions early, and used mocking terminology—all actions that obstruct her duty to inclusive and impartial scrutiny.
Please see appendix 2 on page 7 for a collection of screenshots demonstrating Ms Duffield’s behaviour.
4. Request for Committee Action
Given her repeated use of slurs and mocking language targeting a protected group, and her refusal to take trans equality seriously within this Committee’s remit, we respectfully urge the Committee to:
Assess her fitness to serve on a Committee tasked with protecting equality for all groups; and
Clarify the Committee’s procedures for addressing members whose behaviour is incompatible with its remit.
Ms Duffield’s repeated use of language that mocks and belittles trans people and her explicit derision of the Committee’s work on trans equality are fundamentally at odds with these responsibilities. Her actions do not merely reflect personal views—they directly compromise the Committee’s integrity and its ability to represent and advocate for marginalised communities in good faith.
In a time when trans people face increasing hostility, the role of the Women and Equalities Committee is more vital than ever. The presence of a member who openly mocks a protected group, refuses to engage with their rights, and aligns herself with organisations seeking to strip them of legal protections is incompatible with that role.
We urge the Committee to act swiftly to restore public confidence, affirm its commitment to all protected groups, and ensure that every member upholds the principles of dignity, respect, and inclusion on which this Committee is founded.
Signed by 348 people, 55 of whom have requested anonymity.
To protect our signatories from potential harassment and retaliation, we have chosen not to publish their names online.