A SOUTHEND councillor has insisted he will always “defend women’s rights” after being accused of transphobia and reported to the Labour Party.

Sophie Molly, 38, who identifies as a trans woman and uses she/her pronouns, has lodged a complaint against councillor Laurie Burton after he posted on X saying she “is a male and nothing can change that reality”.

Mr Burton’s post was in response to a social media post by Ms Molly about her “right to use female bathrooms”.

Her follow-up post calling for Mr Burton to be suspended by Labour has received more than 2,000 likes in less than 24 hours.

The post from Mr Burton, which has sparked a huge amount of backlash, read: “Sophie is male, and nothing can change that reality.

“Females have rights to their own spaces and the presence of a male changes the nature of the space, making it a mixed sex one.”

The councillor, who is responsible for children’s services on Southend Council, has hit back at the criticism stating that “Labour Party policy is clear”.

He said: “The party policy is clear; we support the Equality Act and female-only spaces it provides for.

“Gender activists are forever trying to silence and bully women and men who support women’s rights, but I won’t let that stop me from speaking out in defence of women’s rights.”

Ms Molly has called for the suspension of Mr Burton for “this blatant transphobic abuse towards my person”, with a deadline of 4pm yesterday set for a response from the party before she contacted the ombudsman.

She has said she would like to see Mr Burton “disciplined at least” by the Labour Party and feels he is damaging the party’s reputation.

Speaking to the Echo, she said: “I have complained to the ombudsman today, I have had no reply from the main Southend branch, and they seemed quite confused.

“He is rubbishing their reputation and bringing them into disrepute, he needs discipline to stop this and rein it in.”

Labour have been contacted for comment.