Westminster Feminist Leader Jess Phillips Resigns
LONDON / May 19, 2026 — Jess Phillips resigned from her position as Safeguarding Minister on 12th May 2026, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer amidst a severe leadership crisis, and leading to a by-election in which popular challenger and Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham plans to stand. Phillips has been the Labour Member of Parliament for Birmingham Yardley since May 2015.
She cited a lack of confidence in Starmer’s leadership and a perceived failure to tackle alleged violence against women and girls (VAWG) with enough “fight and drive” as a reason for her resignation.
Critics argue that Phillips focuses exclusively on women’s issues to the detriment of men’s. Her initiatives to curb alleged ‘misogyny’ in schools have been criticised for vilifying teenage boys. She has frequently stated that “Every woman killed by a man is a symbol of society’s collective failure”. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/jess-phillips-every-woman-killed-36849175
Over the Pakistani grooming gangs scandal, in which the sexual abuse of thousands of girls was uncovered across the north and midlands of England for decades, five campaigners demanded her resignation after accusing her of betrayal and public contradiction.
In 2015 Phillips received mass derision for her response to a debate on International Men’s Day, with some reports alleging she showed contempt and stated she “hates” men.
In response to criticisms about not caring about male suicide, she stated: “It’s frankly remarkable that I find myself in the position that I have to do this but let me be clear, I really, really do care. I really, really care.” She went on: “The fact that I stick up for women doesn’t mean that I think all men are rapists. But that’s lost somewhere in translation. Obviously I don’t think that. I married one!” https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/nov/23/labour-mp-jess-phillips-interview
Critics have described her approach as a “feminism of fear” and argued that her focus on male “perpetrators” creates an inaccurate image of society, arguing that men are more likely to be murdered than women.
Phillips studied economic and social history and social policy at the University of Leeds from 2000 to 2003, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. As of April 2026 Phillips is deeply involved in several groups and parliamentary bodies focused on women’s rights, safety, and representation, often as Chair.
These include the Women’s Parliamentary Labour Party; the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Women and Work; the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Domestic Violence and Abuse; and the Interministerial VAWG Group Board.
Before entering Parliament, Phillips worked for the charity Women’s Aid for five years, supporting alleged victims of domestic abuse. Women’s Aid removed, cancelled and victimised founder Erin Pizzey when Pizzey deigned to suggest men are also victims of domestic violence at the hands of women. Phillips maintains strong links with organizations like Respect and has been supported by Muslim Women’s Network and the Fawcett Society.
For the past two years Jess Phillips has used her position of Safeguarding Minister (but never seems to be safeguarding of men) to agitate for structural feminism in the seat of power in Britain. She may well be unseated as an MP by Islamist party leaders or an insurgent Reform UK at the next election. But as she has openly admitted in interview she’s ‘arrogant’, it’s unlikely this is the last we’ve heard from feminism’s most determined – and divisive – voice in British politics.
The Domestic Abuse and Violence International Alliance – DAVIA — unites 233 member organizations from 43 countries in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. DAVIA seeks to ensure that domestic violence and abuse policies are science-based, family-affirming, and gender-inclusive. https://endtodv.org/coalitions/davia/
