Family of aspiring transgender MP say they need nothing to do along with her

The household of an aspiring transgender MP branded ‘a person in a wig’ in a unprecedented row with a rival Tory candidate say they’ve been left devastated by her choice to change into a girl – and need nothing to do along with her.

Melissa Poulton ran as a Conservative candidate as a person for Wyre Forest District Council when she was known as Matthew Viner on the 2019 native elections.

She is now the Green Party parliamentary candidate for Bromsgrove, having transitioned to a girl.

She has accused Tory Party Deputy Chair for Women Rachel Maclean of ‘gaslighting,’ ‘transphobia,’ and ‘canine whistling’ after she shared a tweet that described Melissa as ‘a person who wears a wig and calls himself a ‘proud lesbian’.’

Prior to changing into a girl, Melissa had been in a relationship with Janice Poulton for 19 years, which got here to an finish final December when she shockingly informed her that she deliberate to transition after which left the household house.

Speaking solely to MailOnline Melissa’s stepson Ollie Poulton stated Janice has been left heartbroken by the cut up – and stated: ‘It has devastated the entire household, particularly my mum.

‘We do not converse to this particular person and my mum would not need to have something to do with them. They do not exist so far as we’re involved. If there’s contact, then it is often one thing to do with a home matter, but it surely’s very minimal.’

Ollie, who was talking from the previous marital house his mom and Melissa shared in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, added: ‘I feel him dwelling like a girl had been occurring for a while, even earlier than he informed my mum about it. She was doing it in secret.

‘It’s been very exhausting for her as a result of she did not know something about it till someday in December, simply earlier than Christmas, he sat her down and informed mum that he deliberate to change into a girl. It was an actual bombshell for her and she or he’s nonetheless getting over it.’

After sharing the controversial publish, Redditch MP Ms Maclean wrote: ‘While the Greens do not know what a girl is, my Worcestershire neighbours the folks of Bromsgrove actually do’. She has now deleted it and apologised.

It led to a livid disagreement with Melissa, who’s combating for the Bromsgrove seat which adjoins Ms Maclean’s constituency.

Melissa protested: ‘It’s fairly unusual that she would assault me. She’s attacking me for being who I’m and standing in a neighbouring constituency.

‘I’m flabbergasted. We usually are not even going to be standing in the identical constituency. When I’ve been talking to residents, they’ve been supportive of me.’

She added: ‘It’s a disgrace, with out a shadow of a doubt it’s a transphobic remark, it is dog-whistling on the most interesting.’

Ollie’s mom Janice and Melissa have been collectively for nearly 20 years after assembly in 2011. The couple have a daughter, Hailie, 18, and Janice additionally has three sons from a earlier relationship.

Ollie revealed that he and his different siblings have been solely knowledgeable by their mom what had taken place earlier this yr after Melissa had left.

He stated: ‘I used to be very shocked. I at all times acquired on nicely with him however then in the direction of the tip he began behaving weirdly. He was at all times going out on Green Party stuff late into the evening and we infrequently noticed him.

‘It’s 2023 and you need to recover from it, however we do not discuss this particular person and usually are not occupied with what they’re getting as much as. It’s hit Hailie notably exhausting as a result of this was her father, and he was dwelling right here along with her and mum.’

Melissa was born a organic man earlier than starting to transition late final yr. It just isn’t clear whether or not the aspiring MP has had any surgical procedure or a gender recognition certificates.

She confronted criticism after sharing a video the place she voiced her help for an initiative to assist enhance feminine illustration in Parliament.

Ms Maclean was elected as MP for Redditch in 2017 and have become a deputy chair of the Conservative Party in November with duty for safeguarding and girls.

After deleting her unique touch upon X she stated: ‘I’m sorry for any offence brought on and I’ve now deleted the tweet.

‘I imagine everybody must be free to stay their lives and fulfil their potential no matter their intercourse, sexual orientation, or gender id and to have the arrogance and the liberty to be themselves.’

However, responding to a GB News clip on-line, she later clarified: ‘In reality, I did NOT apologise for my feedback regarding the Green Party’s excessive insurance policies on gender and self-ID ideology and am glad to come back on to your program to clarify my place in additional element.

‘As Deputy Chair for Women, I’m clear that the regulation permits me to say.

‘What a girl is and the distinction between a girl and a trans girl.

‘Both deserve respect and freedom to stay their lives, however it’s not transphobic to say they aren’t the identical factor.

‘Nor does it help policymakers throughout healthcare, schooling, the CJS to faux they’re.’

Melissa can also be a member of the get together’s Equality and Diversity Committee and former Co-Secretary of the LGBTIQA+Greens. She has been concerned in politics for 10 years and has been within the Green Party since 2020.

The row has led to heated opinions being exchanged by main figures.

Human proper campaigner Peter Tatchell spoke out in Melissa’s defence- and stated the Green candidate, a member of the get together since round 2020, is ‘attempting to help ladies’s rights and get extra ladies MPs’.

Others have taken to X to help Rachel Maclean, regardless of her apology.

Comedian Henning Wehn tweeted Melissa talking on the BBC and stated: ‘I do not need to be known as transphobic and I additionally do not need to be accused of concentrating on minorities however…I imply…come on..please’.

But Mr Tatchell informed GB News ‘Melissa was really attempting to help ladies’s rights and get extra ladies MPs, which is a really honourable factor to do. I’m actually disenchanted that Rachel Maclean sought to assault Melissa. That’s not a superb factor in any respect. It’s misgendering, it isn’t truthful and it isn’t proper’.

Green Party co-leader Carla Denye stated: ‘This is a deeply offensive intervention from an elected MP, who must be representing everyone in the neighborhood, not making these nasty, snide and divisive feedback.’