Tory candidate resigns after trans comments

Nick Rose was set to contest Norwich North at the next general election

A Conservative Parliamentary candidate has resigned after it emerged he made controversial comments about transgender people and migrants during a school debate.

Nick Rose was set to contest the Norwich North seat at the next general election, having been selected by members of the Norwich Conservative Federation on 29 October.

On Tuesday, an education trust lodged a complaint against Mr Rose.

The former candidate was contacted by the BBC, but he did not wish to comment.

However, in a statement released through the Conservatives, Mr Rose said: "I am today resigning as the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Norwich North.

"I appreciate the opportunity to have participated in the political process and wish the party success in the upcoming election."

Mr Rose, a former Bournemouth councillor, made controversial comments during a political debate at Thorpe St Andrew High School, near Norwich, on Monday.

In a video posted online, uploaded by the Eastern Daily Press, he appeared to say: "A bloke wearing a dress who identifies as a woman should be in a male prison [and] should not be allowed in women's toilets. For goodness sake.

"How on earth, all of you ladies here, can allow a bloke in a dress to come into your loos? It's disgusting."

He also made comments about migrants entering the UK illegally, describing their arrival as an "invasion".

'Fundamentally incompatible'

In response, Don Evans, chief executive of the Broad Horizons Education Trust, which runs the school, said: "We do not feel those comments were appropriate to be aired in a school environment in the manner he chose to do so, as they conflict with the inclusive environment of the school community and are at odds with the content of the school's curriculum.

"Whilst we fully support the principle that our students should experience a broad range of views and opinions, we cannot allow our schools to become a platform for views that are fundamentally incompatible with our approach and ethos."

Mr Evans said political debates should offer "valuable learning opportunities" for children

The trust said it had lodged a complaint with Chloe Smith, the incumbent Conservative MP for Norwich North, who had referred the matter to the Norwich Conservatives.

Ms Smith announced last year that she would be standing down.

Mr Rose's profile on X, formerly Twitter, describes him as an engineer, businessman, children's author and army reservist.

The Norwich Conservative Federation was approached for comment.