AN Exeter City Councillor has left the Labour party to serve as an Independent, citing disagreements over the party's stance on transgender healthcare.
Zoë Hughes was elected Labour party candidate in Pennsylvania in the Exeter local election in May 2024.
In a statement issued on January 3, Zoë explained: "Today I informed the Leader of Exeter City Council of my decision to resign from the Labour Party, meaning that I will continue my remaining tenure as Exeter City Councillor as an Independent member.
"I would like to reassure the residents of Pennsylvania that I will work even harder to support them.
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"As a queer person, I have often felt alone and marginalised within society. However, I historically have felt that at least the Labour Party had my back – especially during Sir Ben Bradshaw’s many years as MP for Exeter.
"Hansard offers examples of Ben’s staunch support as a vocal trans ally in the House of Commons, including to trans children.
"As an active member of the National Education Union, I took my responsibility as a teacher to protect trans and non-binary students very seriously.
"I was nervous when Prime Minister Starmer suggested meeting with JK Rowling shortly after an epic General Election win, to get 'her opinion' - but I never believed as a party that Labour would blithely accept the extremely problematic Cass Review as the party line.
"The national party has ignored the mounting criticism of the Cass Review’s methodology, independence, and expertise by established and respected research centres and universities, medical professionals/organisations as well as advocacy groups.
"Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, has chosen to use this document to make a grossly discriminatory decision that singles out and solely affects my younger trans siblings.
"Puberty blockers are still available on prescription for cis-gendered teenagers experiencing precocious puberty.
"Either Labour doesn't care about cis kids safety, or they just want to discriminate against trans teenagers.
"Trans people have always existed. Trans children have always existed.
"To deny them life affirming puberty blockers is a policy I refuse to stand by and accept.
"This is not a Labour Party of which I wish to be a part. We have let the trans community down and I want no part of it - there is no LGB without the T for me, it is that simple."
The Labour leader of Exeter City Council, Phil Bialyk, said: "I'm naturally disappointed that Councillor Hughes felt they had to leave.
"I respect that decision, however, people should not underestimate the level of commitment required to be a councillor and to be a member of a political group."
The NHS stopped the routine prescription of puberty blocker treatments to under 18s in March 2024, following the Cass Review into gender identity services.
A spokesperson for the Labour Party told the BBC that children's healthcare "must always put welfare first and be led by evidence".
The spokesperson said the Commission on Human Medicines had "thoroughly examined all the available evidence and concluded that prescribing puberty blockers to children for the purposes of gender dysphoria represents an unacceptable safety risk in the current prescribing environment".