Rosie Duffield is backing a campaign calling on local election candidates to respect the "clear biological definition of the sexes".

The Canterbury and Whitstable MP has been embroiled in a row surrounding trans rights for the past two years, having previously stated that only women have a cervix.

She has faced a torrent of criticism from those who argue her views undermine the transgender population, but has not backed down in defending her stance.

Now, the Labour MP is throwing her support behind a campaign to protect sex-based rights, which uses the slogan 'Respect my Sex if you want my X'.

As reported in the Daily Mail, the MP said: "I think this group of women speak for many when they say that a clear biological definition of the sexes is important, partly in order to maintain vital single sex services.

"They draw a distinct line between gender and biological sex and all political parties and their candidates need to listen to voters who expect to be represented.

"Women vote, campaign, door-knock and donate and we will not simply stand back as our words to describe ourselves and our bodies are erased.

'We will not simply stand back as our words to describe ourselves and our bodies are erased...'

"Trans people deserve respect and rights which can happen alongside the respect that women have fought so hard to get over the decades."

The campaign group urges the public to grill local election candidates on their definition of the word woman.

It shares Ms Duffield's views that transgender women should not be able to access single-sex spaces such as prisons.

Leader of the campaign, Maya Forstater, tweeted: "Women are angry about the erasure of sex. Local election candidates will need to have answers to their questions.

In August 2020, Ms Duffield was branded a “transphobe” on Twitter after liking a controversial tweet by Piers Morgan in which he took issue with a CNN post that referred to “individuals with a cervix” in a reminder about the importance of smear testing.

Mr Morgan replied to the tweet, asking: “Do you mean women?”

After endorsing Mr Morgan’s view, Ms Duffield was flooded with complaints from social media users arguing that the comment undermined the status of transgender men.

Responding to the criticism, the Canterbury MP wrote: “I’m a ‘transphobe’ for knowing that only women have a cervix....?!”