Transgender Tory MP Jamie Wallis has accused fellow Conservatives of “weaponising” trans issues in this summer’s leadership debate.
In a letter calling for Liz Truss, the Bridgend MP, who came out as transgender this year, criticised the PM for failing to “challenge this behaviour” as he called for her to quit.
Mr Wallis criticised “very basic and avoidable errors” in the prime minister’s approach as he became the third Tory MP to publicly for the PM to step down.
He said he did not believe Ms Truss could unite the party, describing the leadership contest as as a “particularly difficult time.”
“Watching senior colleagues exploit the issue of transgender rights and weaponise it in order to score cheap political points was extremely unpleasant,” Mr Wallis said in his letter.
He continued: “You chose not to challenge this behaviour and have now chosen to have those same colleagues sit alongside you in your government.
“Mistakes can be undone, and as one united team I believe we could achieve almost anything. However, whilst you are our leader, I no longer believe this is possible.
“Your decision to appoint historical supporters of you personally rather than the most qualified politicians available in the party has led to decisions that have done clear and obvious harm to the British economy.”
During the leadership race, candidates criticised each other’s stance on trans issues with Penny Mordaunt at the sharp end of challenges from MPs.
In an early hustings staged by the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs, Ms Mordaunt was challenged over her handling of a bill to allow home secretary Suella Braverman to take maternity leave last year.
Jamie Wallis accused senior colleagues of exploiting trans issues during the leadership race
Ms Braverman criticised her over a decision to replace “woman” with “pregnant person” in the legislation.
While the bill was going through the Commons, Tory MPs led by the veteran ex-minister Sir John Hayes tabled amendments to reinstate “mother” and “woman”, but they were rejected by the government.
Later, the same amendments were reinstated in the House of Lords after a cross-party campaign including Labour and Conservative peers.
At the 1922’s hustings Sir John, a leading supporter of Ms Braverman, challenged Ms Mordaunt on the issue and was later said by colleagues to be “incandescent” at her reply.
Penny Mordaunt was challenged for her stance on trans issues
In March this year, Mr Wallis became the first openly trans MP. In a statement posted online he said he had been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and wanted to transition, adding that he was not sure how to proceed but wished to make the situation public.
Mr Wallis added he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder triggered by a previous attempt to blackmail him about his gender, and an incident of rape, which had left him “not OK”.
In July Mr Wallis was disqualified from driving after hitting a telegraph pole in a late-night car crash and then fleeing the scene in November las year.
Mr Wallis, who had denied all charges, told the court he crashed after swerving to avoid hitting a cat and left the scene out of fear he would be “raped, killed or kidnapped” due to post-traumatic stress disorder which he developed after being raped in September.
His call for Ms Truss’s resignation came after senior Tory MP Crispin Blunt and Andrew Bridgen also urged Liz Truss to step down.
Mr Blunt told Channel 4’s Andrew Neil Show on Sunday: “I think the game is up and it’s now a question as to how the succession is managed.”
He was followed by Rishi Sunak supporter Mr Bridgen on Sunday evening, who told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: “We cannot carry on like this.”
