IN 2020, Eddie Izzard announced a desire “to be based in girl mode from now on”, claiming the pronouns “she” and “her”. Now a storm is brewing over the actor, writer and comedian’s political plans.

How so?

The English stand-up comic last month announced hopes to stand as a Labour candidate in Sheffield at the next general election, having been a vocal supporter of the party for decades; previously named on lists of the biggest private donors to Labour, as well as appearing in party political broadcasts.

Now?

Although no selection process has yet formally begun for the Sheffield Central seat - which will be vacated by Labour MP Paul Blomfield, who has said he will stand down at the next election - Izzard expressed a wish “to throw my hat in the ring”, adding: “It's an amazing seat to be able to stand for, if the people of Sheffield Central wish to have me there I will be there.”

It’s an old stomping ground?

Izzard studied accountancy and financial management with mathematics at the University of Sheffield in the 1980s, adding: “I would love to be here as my whole creative career started from here, all the way to Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden and around 45 countries in the world."

However?

UK-based online newspaper PinkNews, covering issues related to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, reported this week that Labour MP for Canterbury, Rosie Duffield, allegedly threatened to leave the party if Izzard is selected on an all-women shortlist. Political news website, Guido Fawkes, then uploaded a clip of Duffield’s words to a Labour Women’s Declaration group at conference on Monday, in which she said: “I will not be a hypocrite and I won’t lie and I won’t say that a man is a woman. Eddie Izzard is not a woman…I’m absolutely not the only Labour woman MP who will leave the party if Eddie Izzard gets a place on an all women’s shortlist”. 

Are the shortlists still taking place?

Earlier this year, it was suggested Labour would drop all women shortlists to select candidates for the next general election, amid concerns they could be “unlawful” as the majority of Labour MPs are female, in a decision that sparked complaints from some party members.

As for Izzard?

Speaking to Simon Thomas on the Life, Interrupted podcast last year, Izzard said: “Your biological body [can give] different signals as to how it is in the brain, but I do feel gender fluid - I have got boy genetics and girl genetics, so I call it boy mode and girl mode. These may not be great phrases but I can't think of better words. Man mode and woman mode doesn't sound good so I'm going with those at the moment, but language can change over the years. I am gender fluid, I do seem to be a mixture, but I'm now based in girl mode as a trans woman. And now that pronouns have come out [it] feels like a promotion, I'm very happy with that.”