Eddie Izzard issues all women shortlist statement following Keir Starmer comments

Comedian Eddie Izzard, who has put her name into the hat to represent Labour in the Sheffield Central constituency for the next general election, has issued a statement on involvement with an all women shortlist. The statement came just hours after Labour leader Keir Starmer was asked about Izzard’s involvement in any form of list.

During the radio show on LBC, Starmer was asked if he is a supporter of all-women shortlists for elections and whether or not Izzard, who now uses the pronouns she/her, would be able to be placed on any.

Although Starmer repeatedly said that he would not comment on any individual cases within the party and gave no direct reference to Izzard, he did show support to transgender people. During the call, Starmer  said that some trans people are put through “a huge amount of stress” in order to get the healthcare they require.

Shortly after 9pm last night (October 24) Eddie Izzard issued a statement on her ‘Eddie Izzard for Sheffield Central’ Twitter page. In the statement, she said that she is “not seeking to be selected on an all-women shortlist.”

She said: “I personally have never been asked and have never been offered a place on the All Women Shortlist. This has been a position that I have held since joining the Labour Party in 1995. I have never changed my position on this and never asked anyone to change the position for me now.

“In the two weeks since I announced I was running, I have been amazed by the wonderful reaction I have had from people across Sheffield - of all different ages, all different faiths, all different backgrounds and all different wings of the party.

“We are building something special in Sheffield and this isn’t because I’m a comedian, or because I’m trans, or because I’m an actor. It is because I have a vision for Sheffield that I want to deliver and people know I will work as hard as I have worked all my life to make this positive change happen.

“I knew my candidacy would be questioned by a few. I expected that. Debate is good and it’s healthy in a democracy. But so are facts. I am trans but I am not seeking to be selected on an All Women Shortlist.

“My selection would prove once more that when the dial moves further towards justice and equality in our country, it is because of the actions of the Labour Party and our brilliant members.”

When is the Labour candidate for Sheffield Central announced?

Within the next week, the national executive committee of the Labour party will make up a longlist from the candidates. Within the next few weeks, a shortlist will then be created and it is expected that the new candidate will be announced at some point in mid-November.

Paul Blomfield, who has had a 27,000 majority since the last general election, announced in February that he would stand down from the seat he has held since 2010 ahead of his 70th birthday next year, sparking the current selection process.