‘I never imagined that speaking out honestly

NURSES UNITED OVER TRANSGENDER CASE

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Under-threat Jennifer Melle, centre, with Claire Coutinho and MP supporters yesterday outside Parliament

that standing by my faith and speaking honestly about my experience could cost me my career.”

She declared: “I believe the public has a right to know what happens when staff are pressured to deny their conscience.”

Ms Melle, 40, was supported at Parliament by Bethany Hutchison, 36, and Lisa Lockey, 52 - two of seven nurses who won a legal fight with bosses of County Durham and Darlington NHS trust after they let a trans woman share their changing room and undress in front of them.

They were joined by nurse Sandie Peggie, 56, who was suspended by NHS Fife after objecting to having to share a changing room with a transgender medic.

Mum-of-two Ms Hutchison said: “After our landmark tribunal victory it is deeply troubling to see another nurse facing dismissal simply for standing by her conscience.

“The trust should learn from our case, respect the rights of staff and back down from punishing her.

“Silencing nurses for speaking out only undermines faith in the NHS and damages the dignity of women at work.”

Ms Peggie said: “I am proud to stand alongside the Darlington nurses to express my support and solidarity for Jennifer and to do what I can to highlight the mistreatment being suffered by her and many women who believe that sex is real and biological.” The four were joined by Shadow equalities minister Claire Coutinho and Tory MP colleagues Rebecca Paul and Mims Davies plus Jim Shannon of the Democratic Unionist Party and independent MP Rosie Duffield.

They said that the quartet had stopped the UK from sleepwalking into an era of dangerous dogma.