EASTENDERS’ legend Lord Cashman has been expelled from the Labour Party after branding a female MP “frit or lazy”.
Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer blasted the peer’s “totally inappropriate” comments about Rosie Duffield – a prominent gender critical voice on the Labour backbenches.
PALord Michael Cashman as Colin and Linda Davidson as Mary Smith during Dot Cotton’s funeral in Eastenders on BBC1[/caption]
AlamyLabour MP for Canterbury Rosie Duffield[/caption]
GettySir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves answered questions from the press today[/caption]
Sir Keir said: “That’s why it was important that the whip was withdrawn as it was very swiftly.”
Ms Duffield – who has been the target of abuse over her defence of women’s rights – said on Friday she would not be attending the hustings in her Canterbury constituency.
She revealed the decision was made because the “actions of a few fixated individuals” had affected her “sense of security and wellbeing”.
Commenting about the move, Lord Cashman wrote on X: “Frit. Or lazy”.
In another social media post, he said: “She should do the decent thing and stand down if she won’t face her constituents.”
His comments came the day before the anniversary of the murder of Jo Cox.
The Batley and Spend Labour MP was stabbed and shot by a far-right extremist during the Brexit referendum campaign in 2016.
Lord Cashman apologised on X later on, saying: “I apologise unreservedly for a post that I put out regarding the Labour candidate for Canterbury. I fully understand any complaints that will be sent to the Labour Party.”
Women and equalities minister Kemi Badenoch yesterday waded into the row by accusing Labour of “intimidation and abuse” towards its own.
Meanwhile, Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting told Times Radio he “strongly” disagreed with the former MEP.
He added:“That is extremely unfair and I was very concerned Rosie’s not able to participate in hustings and is having to change the way she behaves because of abuse.
“That is wholly intolerable and unacceptable, as is the abuse Nigel Farage has had.
“I count Michael and Rosie as friends and this is exactly the kind of division I’ve been working really hard to try and work through and heal.”
Lord Cashman played Colin Russell in Eastenders between 1986 and 1989.
He briefly reprised the role again in 2022 for the funeral of Dot Branning.