Tory candidate who called trans women ‘blokes in dresses’ steps down after series of vile comments

Conservative candidate for Norwich North, Nick Rose, has stepped down three weeks into campaigning amid backlash to his openly anti-trans and controversial immigrant comments. 

Following being selected by members of Norwich Conservative Federation on 29 October, Rose was set to compete for the Norwich North seat at the next general election. 

But on 22 October, the former candidate told the Eastern Daily press he was resigning as the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Norwich North. 

He added: “I appreciate the opportunity to have participated in the political process and wish the party success in the upcoming election.”

Rose, a former Bournemouth councillor who received complaints against him in 2018 for allegedly bullying staff, initially faced calls to stand down over his denial of man-made climate change. 

A few days prior to resigning, the former candidate received an official complaint from Thorpe St Andrew School over “incendiary” anti-trans comments he had made in a discussion about trans issues with sixth-form students.

In the discussion, Rose was asked if trans women should be allowed in female prisons. He was also questioned on anti-trans comments made by former home secretary, Suella Braverman, who said “trans women have no place in women’s wards or, indeed, any safe space relating to biological women”. 

Braverman’s comment was in support of health secretary Steve Barclay’s proposal, which would see trans women treated in separate wards.

Rose told the sixth formers: ”A bloke wearing a dress who identifies as a woman should not be in a woman’s prison and should not be allowed in women’s toilets.

“How on earth can all of you ladies here allow a bloke in a skirt into your loos? It’s disgusting.”

He then went on to describe the arrival of immigrants in small boats across the Channel as an “invasion on our southern coast,” adding: “We’ve got too many illegal migrants coming in. It is an invasion. We are being invaded.”

At the time of his comments, Norwich Conservative said they were investigating the matter and that Norwich North Conservative associations “firmly condemn all forms of hatred”. 

Rose was also forced to delete an X post in which he branded people “idle benefit scroungers”. 

In the now-deleted post he claimed some people across Norwich North were  “supportive of Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives for hard work reducing inflation, and for pushing idle benefits scroungers back into work”. 

Rose’s standing down leaves the seat empty ahead of next year’s general election, with the current Norwich North MP Chloe Smith –  who has held the seat for almost 15 years  – due to stand down. 

PinkNews has contacted Rose for comment.