Rosie Duffield MP - Who is she?

Rosie Duffield is‌ ‌the Labour‌ MP‌ ‌for Canterbury,‌ ‌having‌ ‌first‌ ‌gained the seat ‌in‌ 2017. She was‌ ‌re-elected‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌2019‌ ‌General‌ ‌Election‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌majority‌ ‌of‌ 1,836 ‌over‌ ‌the‌ ‌Conservative Party.‌ ‌

The Canterbury constituency ‌in Kent covers‌ the cathedral city of Canterbury and the nearby coastal town of Whitstable. Prior to 2017, Canterbury had been held by the Conservatives for nearly one hundred and fifty years. Containing an above average professional population, and the campus of the University of Kent, Canterbury reflects the recent changing pattern of voting behaviour in the UK. Despite never being won by Tony Blair (unlike 8 other Kent constituencies), it is now the only Labour seat in Kent. 54.7% of the voters in Canterbury supported Remain in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Duffield served briefly as a Labour whip in 2020, before resigning for allegedly being in in breach of Covid restrictions in relation to a meeting with her partner.

During her time in Westminster, Duffield has come to attention for a variety of reasons. She is known for an impassioned speech in the Commons where she described her experiences of an abusive relationship, for controversial comments she made previously in the context of trans gender rights debate, and for her criticism in 2019 of the Labour Party leadership in relation to antisemitism.

In January 2022, Duffield was reported as saying she had considering leaving the labour party due to “obsessive harassment” from current and former members.

Born in 1971, Duffield left school at the age of 16 and completed an administration apprenticeship at Guy’s Hospital‌. She worked as a teaching assistant, before being‌ ‌elected‌ ‌to‌ Parliament.‌ ‌ She has two sons and was previously Chair of the Canterbury Constituency Labour Party.

At Westminster, Duffield is Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Dog Welfare, Fisheries, Holocaust Memorial, International Conservation, Listed Properties, Net Zero, and Parks and Green Spaces, and Rural Services.