Activists are calling for MP Rosie Duffield to be replaced as Labour's candidate in her Kent seat ahead of the next election.

Students from the University of Kent are calling for the whip to be withrawn from the Canterbury representative after she made divisive comments about Eddie Izzard.

The parliamentarian - the county's only Labour MP - said during an event earlier this month she will not call the transgender comedian a woman.

And now members of Kent Labour Students have issued a statement stating Ms Duffield's "vitriol has no place within" the party.

"Her actions show a discernible misuse of feminism to perpetuate an unfair narrative and representation of transgender communities,” the group wrote on Twitter.

“Our party brought in the 2004 Gender Recognition Act and is the party of fairness and equality. Keir Starmer has stated transgender women are women.

“We are the progressive party for the people, and Duffield's vitriol has no place within it.

“We call for her to lose the Labour whip. We hope that she will be replaced by a Labour candidate who can more fairly represent each and every constituent in Canterbury.”

Ms Duffield's 2017 election win saw Canterbury wrested from the Tories for the first time in almost 100 years.

The MP made the comments at an event held by LGB Alliance - a campaign group that claims to advance lesbian, gay and bisexual rights.

When asked about the possibility of misgendering someone becoming a hate crime, the 51-year-old said: “Is that a serious thing?

"Is that coming to parliament any time soon?

"I hope not because you might as well arrest me now.

"I’m not calling Eddie Izzard a woman.”

Ms Izzard announced two years ago her preference to be addressed with female pronouns, and has launched a bid to stand as a Labour MP for Sheffield Central.

In response to Ms Duffield’s remarks, the 60-year-old entertainer said: "Some people aren’t up to speed, some people haven’t joined the 21st century and, well, they’ve got to get on the bus now because I’ve been out for so long now that I don’t know why they didn’t bring this up before.

“It’s different now that I’m going for a parliamentary seat, but I don’t think bullying is a great thing to be happening and so I’m just going to carry on.

“Transphobic attitudes come from all different quarters, unfortunately.

"Join the 21st century – trans people exist. I exist.”

KentOnline previously reported Ms Duffield would quit the party if Labour allowed the comic to stand for a seat on an all-woman shortlist.

But Ms Izzard has ruled out that possibility on the grounds that she is gender fluid.

Ms Duffield did not respond to a request for comment.