Tory deputy chair Rachel Maclean accused of transphobic remarks

Melissa Poulton announced her candidacy for Bromsgrove last week

The Conservative Party's deputy chair for women has been accused of making transphobic remarks about one of her general election rivals.

MP Rachel Maclean shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, that described transgender woman Melissa Poulton as "a man who wears a wig and calls himself a 'proud lesbian'."

In sharing it, Mrs Maclean also added a comment of her own, backing the writer.

Bromsgrove Green party candidate Miss Poulton described it as "gaslighting".

In sharing the post, Mrs Maclean commented: "While the Greens don't know what a woman is, my Worcestershire neighbours the people of Bromsgrove certainly do."

Her comments have so far been viewed more than 20,000 times.

Mrs Maclean's comments were described by Miss Poulton as "childish games from a government party who's going to be out office".

Rachel Maclean was elected as MP for Redditch in 2017

"I'm here for representation as a queer woman, as a woman with transgender experience," Miss Poulton said, explaining she had been born a biological man before beginning her transitioning last year.

"I'm sure the people of Redditch will see that they're attacking someone for who they are," she said.

"We'll see what happens at the ballot box".

The online criticism of Miss Poulton centred on a video, during which she gave her support to the 50:50 Parliament campaign, an initiative that aims to increase female representation in the House of Commons.

'It's gaslighting'

In the video, she said: "Representation matters and shapes policy… I encourage the most amazing, brilliant women to stand for politics."

But since announcing her own candidacy for Bromsgrove last week, Miss Poulton said she had received a lot of abuse online, including from Mrs Maclean.

"Oh without a shadow of a doubt, it is a transphobic comment," she said.

"It's dog whistling of the finest. It's gaslighting. It does have an impact on people."

Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said it was "a deeply offensive intervention from an elected MP, who should be representing everybody in the community, not making these nasty, snide and divisive comments."

Mrs Maclean, who was elected as MP for Redditch in 2017, served as minister for safeguarding in the Home Office between 2021 and 2022.

In November, she became a deputy chair of the Conservative Party, with responsibility for safeguarding and women.

West Mercia Police said the original post on X had been reported, but the force was not treating it as a crime.

'Vile and hateful'

In a statement to the BBC, Mrs Maclean said: "Everyone in the UK should be free to live their lives and fulfil their potential regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity and to have the confidence and the freedom to be themselves."

But Joe Baker, Labour group leader at Redditch Borough Council, said he believed "the recent repost and share on X" were "absolutely vile and hateful" and Mrs Maclean now needed "to question her position".

"People who hold positions of authority should be looking after those they are in a position to serve," he said.

"I understand that the situation is sensitive and I believe everyone has a right to their opinions, but when that opinion promotes hate and harm then this needs to be challenged."