Labour MP Rosie Duffield resigns amid winter fuel pay payment cut and gifts row

Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield has resigned the Labour whip, accusing the Government of pursuing “cruel and unnecessary” policies while accepting gifts and donations.

In a resignation letter to Sir Keir Starmer, she criticised the Prime Minister for accepting gifts and donations worth more than £100,000 from Labour peer Lord Waheed Alli.

In the letter published by the Sunday Times she said: “Since the change of government in July, the revelations of hypocrisy have been staggering and increasingly outrageous.

“I cannot put into words how angry I and my colleagues are at your total lack of understanding about how you have made us all appear.”

She added: “The sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice are off the scale. I am so ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to tarnish and humiliate our once proud party.”

In particular, Ms Duffield pointed to the decision to keep the two-child benefit cap and means-test the winter fuel payment which has sparked criticism towards Starmer and the party.

She wrote: “Someone with far-above-average wealth choosing to keep the Conservatives’ two-child limit to benefit payments which entrenches children in poverty, while inexplicably accepting expensive personal gifts of designer suits and glasses costing more than most of those people can grasp – this is entirely undeserving of holding the title of Labour Prime Minister.”

The MP went on to criticise Sir Keir’s management of his party, saying he had “never regularly engaged” with backbench MPs and lacked “basic politics and political instincts”.

Her letter said she intended to sit as an Independent MP “guided by my core Labour values”.

This story is being updated.