Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield has resigned from the Labour Party.
The 53-year-old MP is the first to jump ship since the general election and in her resignation letter criticised the prime minister for accepting thousands of pounds worth of gifts.
She told Sir Keir Starmer the reason for leaving now is “the programme of policies you seem determined to stick to”, despite their unpopularity with the electorate and MPs.
In her letter she accused the prime minister and his top team of “sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice” which are “off the scale”.
“I’m so ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to tarnish and humiliate our once proud party,” she said.
Image: Rosie Duffield. Pic: UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor/Handout via Reuters
Sir Keir has faced backlash after a Sky News report revealed he had received substantially more freebies than any other MP since becoming Labour leader.
Since December 2019, the prime minister received £107,145 in gifts, benefits, and hospitality – a specific category in parliament’s register of MPs’ interests.
Ms Duffield, who has previously clashed with the prime minister on gender issues, attacked the government for pursuing “cruel and unnecessary” policies as she resigned the Labour whip.
Read more: The Westminster Accounts: Check how much your MP has received
She criticised the decision to keep the two-child benefit cap and means-test the winter fuel payment, and accused the prime minister of “hypocrisy” over his acceptance of free gifts from donors.
“Since the change of government in July, the revelations of hypocrisy have been staggering and increasingly outrageous,” she said.
“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.”
Ms Duffield also mentioned the recent “treatment of Diane Abbott”, who said she thought she had been barred from standing by Labour ahead of the general election, before Sir Keir said she would be allowed to defend her Hackney North and Stoke Newington seat for the party.
Her relationship with the Labour leadership has long been strained and her decision to quit the party comes after seven other Labour MPs were suspended for rebelling by voting for a motion calling for the two-child benefit cap to be abolished.
“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,” she said.
Ms Duffield said she will continue to represent her constituents as an independent MP, “guided by my core Labour values”.
Kwasi Kwarteng, Therese Coffey and the rest of Liz Truss’s cabinet have missed out on getting gongs or places in the House of Lords as part of her resignation honours list.
There has been sizeable speculation about who the UK’s shortest-serving prime minister would choose to elevate to the upper house or make a knight or dame.
But none of her top ministerial team, nor those who were credited with her tenure’s disastrous mini-budget, are included on the list agreed with Downing Street.
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But she has conferred honours on eight people – including political allies and former advisers – and elevated three people to the House of Lords.
These include Matthew Elliot, the political strategist and former chief executive of Vote Leave being added to the upper house, as well as former Vote Leave chair Jon Moynihan and Ms Truss’s former deputy chief of staff in Number 10 Ruth Porter.
Tory MP Jackie Doyle-Price has been made a dame, while fellow Conservative Alec Shelbrooke has been made a knight.
David Hills, the Conservative association chairman for Ms Truss’s North West Norfolk constituency, has been handed an MBE. Back in 2009 he was rumoured to be heading up the so-called “turnip Taliban” which opposed Ms Truss being selected as a Commons candidate due to her having an affair with a married Tory MP, although he later supported her.
It might take a few days to find out how ‘modest’ list was whittled down
Rob Powell
Political correspondent
@robpowellnews
The biggest surprise in Liz Truss’s resignation honours list may well be who is not on it.
There are no names from the former prime minister’s cabinet.
No Kwasi Kwarteng. No Therese Coffey. No Ranil Jayawardena.
Other free-market economists – and inspirations for Liz Truss’s platform for government – are also not there.
All in all, allies of the former prime minister may have a point when they say this is a “relatively modest list” focussed on long-standing colleagues.
That said, there have been reports that one person fell short of the vetting process and others may have declined the gongs.
As ever, it may take a few days before the full picture emerges of how the initial submission was whittled down.
There is a potential row brewing over the timing of the publication of this honours list though.
Number 10 has decided to release it at the same time as the regular New Year gongs and while MPs are out of Westminster on their Christmas break.
Some may smell an attempt by the government to bury the announcement to try and avoid too much public association between Rishi Sunak and his predecessor’s chaotic time in office.
Friends of Liz Truss are somewhat perplexed as to why it has taken until Christmas to put the names out, given they were submitted in March.
Not for the first time this year, the honours of a prime minister from the past could have a political impact on the present.
Ms Truss said of her list: “I am delighted these champions for the conservative causes of freedom, limited government and a proud and sovereign Britain have been suitably honoured.”
Labour’s shadow Cabinet Office minister, Jonathan Ashworth, said: “This list is proof positive of Rishi Sunak’s weakness and a slap in the face to working people who are paying the price of the Tories crashing the economy.
“Honours should be for those committed to public service, not rewards for Tory failure. Rather than apologise for crashing the economy and driving up mortgages rates, costing families thousands, Rishi Sunak has nodded through these tarnished gongs because he is too weak to lead a Tory party completely out of touch with working people.”
The Liberal Democrat’s deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “This shameless move to reward Liz Truss’s car crash cronies is matched only by Sunak’s weakness in failing to block it.”
A Downing Street source said it was “long-standing convention” for former prime ministers to issue honours lists – and it is also convention that “the incumbent prime minister does not block the political peerage proposals of others”.
Read more: Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list in full What is the honours system and what are the perks?
Who will be added to the House of Lords?
• Matthew Elliott
Image: Matthew Elliott
Matthew Elliott is most well known as the former chief executive of Vote Leave, the pro-Brexit campaign group. He also founded the low tax thinktank the Taxpayers’ Alliance.
According to his LinkedIn page, Mr Elliot is currently a non-executive director at the Latis group housing developer, as well as being a senior political adviser at Shore Capita, a senior adviser at the communications consultancy MHP Group, and president of The Jobs Foundation.
• Jon Moynihan
Image: Jon Moynihan
Jon Moynihan is a Conservative Party donor who has given hundreds of thousands of pounds to the Tories since 2001, according to the Electoral Commission.
Since 2019, he has given £53,000 to Ms Truss alone.
He has been described as a “businessman and venture capitalist”, having worked as chief executive of the PA Consulting Group.
Mr Moynihan chaired the Vote Leave finance committee, and was also appointed to the board of trustees of the Institute of Economic Affairs.
• Ruth Porter
Image: Ruth Porter
Ruth Porter was a key aide of Ms Truss.
Ms Porter served as deputy chief of staff in Number 10 during the ill-fated stretch in Downing Street.
She has since returned to the job she held before as a managing director at strategic advisory company FGS Global.
She had previously worked as an adviser to Ms Truss when she was environment secretary, and worked on her leadership campaign.
Who has been made a dame or a knight?
• Shirley Conran
Image: Shirley Conran in 2004
Shirley Conran, an author and former journalist, has been made a dame for her work on maths education.
She also donated £5,000 to Ms Truss since 2019, according to Sky News’ Westminster Accounts.
As well as her work in media, Ms Conran founded the Maths Anxiety Trust, which aims to help people who struggle with numbers due to anxiety over the subject.
She has written a free eBook – Money Stuff – which aims to teach girls maths without a teacher.
• Jackie Doyle-Price
Image: Jackie Doyle-Price. Pic: House of Commons
Jackie Doyle-Price has been the MP for Thurrock, Essex, since 2010.
She was a member of governments under David Cameron and Theresa May, and served as construction minister in the Truss administration.
It was for this work that she was made a dame.
• Alec Shelbrooke
Image: Alec Shelbrooke
Alec Shelbrooke has been the Conservative MP for Elmet and Rothwell in West Yorkshire since 2010. Both he and Ms Doyle-Price joined parliament at the same time as Ms Truss.
He has been knighted for “public and political service as minister of state for defence procurement”, the role he held for less than two months under the Truss administration.
Who has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
• Sophie Jarvis
Sophie Jarvis was an adviser to Ms Truss during her time as trade secretary and foreign secretary, and also worked in Downing Street.
• Shabbir Merali
Shabbir Merali was an economic adviser to Ms Truss during her time as a Treasury minister, as well as in her trade and foreign roles and in Downing Street.
Who was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
• Robert Butler
Robert Butler is the MP for Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, and worked as Ms Truss’s parliamentary private secretary in the Foreign Office.
• Suzanne Webb
Suzanne Webb is the MP for Stourbridge in the West Midlands, and worked as parliamentary private secretary for Ms Truss in the Department for International Trade and in Downing Street.
Who has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
• David Hills
David Hills is the Conservative association chairman for Ms Truss’s South West Norfolk constituency.
Who missed out?
Image: Kwasi Kwarteng
• Kwasi Kwarteng
Kwasi Kwarteng was chancellor under Liz Truss, and delivered the ill-fated mini-budget which ultimately sunk the pair’s time in Downing Street.
Mr Kwarteng had to U-turn on the pair’s pledge to axe the top band of income tax in the middle of the Conservative Party conference. He later found out he had been sacked as chancellor from a tweet from The Times.
He had been a long-term ally of Ms Truss, having co-authored the Britannia Unchained pamphlet in 2012.
• Mark Littlewood
Mark Littlewood is the director general of the Institute of Economic Affairs, a free market thinktank.
He was a proponent of “Trussonomics”, and backed the former prime minister’s mini-budget which caused economic upheaval and precipitated the collapse of Ms Truss’s administration.
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September: Was Liz Truss to blame?
• Jason Stein
Jason Stein was an adviser to Liz Truss during her time in the House of Commons, and also helped run her campaign to be leader of the Conservative Party.
Mr Stein was suspended during his time working in Downing Street following reports he negatively briefed against former cabinet ministers.
• Ranil Jayawardena
Ranil Jayawardena was a vocal supporter of Liz Truss in the race to replace Boris Johnson, and served as her environment secretary once she became prime minister.
He had previously been a junior minister in the Department for International Trade, and deputy chair of the Conservative Party.
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• Therese Coffey
Therese Coffey was one of Liz Truss’s closest political allies, and even chaired her campaign as she ran to be party leader.
And once in power, Ms Truss made Ms Coffey her deputy prime minister, as well as the secretary of state for health and social care.
• Mark Fullbrook
Mark Fullbrook was Liz Truss’s chief of staff during her time in Downing Street,
Mr Fullbrook was at the centre of controversy during his time in Number 10 after it was revealed he was being paid through a lobbying firm and not as a government employee.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) has appointed MP Stuart McDonald as its new treasurer following the resignation of Colin Beattie on Wednesday.
Mr Beattie stepped down after he was arrested in connection with an investigation into the party’s finances.
He was subsequently released without charge pending further enquiries.
His arrest came after the party’s former chief executive Peter Murrell – who is married to the former first minister Nicola Sturgeon – was also arrested and questioned before being released without charge.
The police are looking into how more than £600,000 in donations to the party set aside for an independence referendum was used.
Mr McDonald represents Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch for the SNP at Westminster.
He has held several positions for the party, and is currently their justice and immigration spokesman.
The 44-year-old said: “While it is a difficult and challenging time, I look forward to getting on with the job of national treasurer to help take forward the important work being led by our new party leader, Humza Yousaf, to improve the SNP’s governance and transparency.
Read more: As the SNP struggles to recruit replacement auditors, how much worse will the crisis get? SNP deputy first minister denies Nicola Sturgeon had responsibility in government scandal
“I’ve no hesitation in stepping forward when asked to do my part in keeping our party firmly on a campaign footing as the case for Scottish independence becomes more compelling that ever.”
The new treasurer has a lot to address, including appointing auditors for the party after the firm Johnston Carmichael resigned in September.
The party’s accounts must be filed to the Electoral Commission in July.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “Stuart McDonald faces an uphill battle dealing with an SNP high command that clearly don’t think the rules apply to them.
“Despite the SNP’s ongoing crisis it has shown no willingness to change.
“It has failed to suspend senior figures embroiled in a police investigation, and its culture of cover-up and secrecy remain in overdrive.
“This arrogant and sleaze-ridden party needs to start operating with some much-needed transparency and consistency, but I won’t hold my breath.”
Nicola Sturgeon’s decision to step down as first minister comes after a number of controversial issues piled pressure on the SNP leader.
Ms Sturgeon’s Scottish government came under fire last month after transgender double rapist Isla Bryson was housed in an all-female prison before being moved to the male estate.
The 31-year-old had been found guilty of attacking two women while a man and was initially housed in Cornton Vale near Stirling.
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The case caused controversy amid a debate around self-ID and the Scottish government’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Act, which was blocked by the UK government.
Following public backlash, Scotland’s Justice Secretary Keith Brown ordered an urgent case review into the management of transgender prisoners.
Although the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) concluded that women were ‘not at risk of harm’ during Bryson’s stay at Cornton Vale, the Scottish Conservatives branded the report a “whitewash summary” and called for it to be published in full.
Tory MSP Russell Findlay said: “We still have no idea why a double rapist was sent into a women’s prison or what involvement SNP ministers had in his removal following the public backlash.”
Read more: Nicola Sturgeon resigns as Scotland’s first minister Women ‘not at risk’ when transgender rapist housed in female-only jail
But despite mounting problems, the SNP has maintained a strong lead in polling.
Questions over husband’s loan to SNP
Ms Sturgeon was also recently questioned over her husband Peter Murrell’s £107,000 loan to the SNP.
She said she could not recall when she first found out about the loan, and insisted that “what he does with his resources is a matter for him”.
During a press conference earlier this month, Ms Sturgeon said: “The resources that he lent the party were resources that belonged to him.”
In December, it emerged that Mr Murrell, who is the party’s chief executive, made the loan in June 2021 to help with “cash flow” following a Holyrood election campaign.
Following the election in May, SNP MP Douglas Chapman quit as the party’s treasurer, claiming he was not given enough information about finances to do his job.
It came after three other members of the SNP’s finance and audit committee also resigned.
Police Scotland is also currently investigating what happened to an estimated £600,000 raised by party activists to be ringfenced for a second independence referendum campaign.
The SNP has denied any wrongdoing.
During Ms Sturgeon’s press conference announcing her resignation, a journalist asked: “Have you been or do you expect to be interviewed by the police who are looking into your party’s finances?”
The first minister replied: “I’m not going to discuss an ongoing police investigation. I wouldn’t do that on any issue and I’m not going to do it now.”
Ms Sturgeon has led the party and the country since 2014 after taking over from her predecessor, Alex Salmond, making her the longest-serving first minister since devolution to Holyrood.
