MP Rosie Duffield would not be immediately welcomed back into the Labour Party if she changed her mind about resigning, according to Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden.
He told GB News: “When you read Rosie’s resignation letter, you can see that these are the frustrations and disagreements of somebody who’s held them for quite a long time. There’s no secret about that.
“Rosie has been quite disaffected with the Labour leader, with the Labour Party for quite a while.
“I’m disappointed to see her go, because I like Rosie, and I think she’s got a lot to offer politics, but ultimately, I’m not surprised.”
Asked if he would accept her back into the party, he said: “Well, I think it’s probably a bit too soon to be raising that prospect, given the anger with which she has left.
“I regret Rosie going because I like her, and I think she’s an important voice in politics and has been known for a very long time.
“And so while I’m disappointed, I’m ultimately not surprised at the decision that she’s taken.”
On her claim that the scale of sleaze in the Labour Party is “off the scale”, he said: “She does say that, you’re right, but this is a campaign donation, it’s part of presentation, it’s part of a campaign, and that’s what this was.
“I welcome the support of Lord Alli who gave this campaign donation and of the other successful people who support Labour.
“He’s supported Labour for a long, long time. He’s given this campaign donation. Presentation is part of the campaign that was for then. Now that we’re in government, we’re in a new phase.”
On the fall in Sir Keir Starmer’s approval rating, he said: “I’ll be more interested in the polls three months before an election than three months after them.
“We’ve been elected with a big majority. We’ve got a lot of work to do.
“We’ve got a big and difficult legacy from the Conservative Party to work through and when we’ve done that, we get on with stabilising the economy, getting growth going, generating the wealth that we need for our public services, turning around the NHS and making sure that living standards rise all around the country.
“That’s the agenda that I and my Cabinet colleagues are working to every day. Yes, we’ve had a few difficult headlines which you used to work and you know, I’m not saying I don’t wish these stories had taken place, but we’ve got a big agenda.”
On reports of tensions between key figures behind the scenes in Number 10, he said: “I don’t want to blame any of the Government’s recent difficulties on staff. I don’t think politicians should do that. I don’t think it’s fair.
“We’ll work our way through these things. We’ve got a big agenda to work on. I outlined some of that to you a few minutes ago.
“We’ve got a big, important Budget coming up in a few weeks’ time. We’ve got an investment conference coming up. We’ve got legislation on rights for renters, on transport, on GB, energy, hereditary peers, a big legislative program.
“That’s what we’re working on, and that’s what we’re going to get on with.”
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