Labour’s shadow equalities and women’s ministers quit

TWO ministers have resigned from Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet of the Labour party, The Guardian reported.

Shadow equalities secretary and MP for Battersea Marsha de Cordova has resigned to focus on her marginal constituency. Shadow women’s minister  Charlotte Nichols has also stepped down for personal reasons, the report added.

“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," De Cordova tweeted.

“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.”

However, Nichols is expected to return to the frontbench in a different brief. De Cordova’s replacement is expected to be announced shortly.

According to the report, De Cordova’s resignation will leave Starmer with a significant role to fill ahead of Labour’s conference next weekend.

Starmer thanked De Cordova for her work as shadow minister.

"Her work including highlighting the disproportionate impact the pandemic has had on black, Asian, minority ethnic and disabled people … Marsha has also laid the foundations for a new Race Equality Act that Labour would introduce to tackle the structural inequalities which have existed in our society for too long," he told The Guardian.

A senior Labour MP has said that her role would be difficult to fill as there are tensions at a senior level over the party’s stance on transgender rights.