TUC director Antonia Bance and her wife are 'fine' and have patched up their differences after online rant slamming 'selfish' Labour candidate for abandoning her in 'hour of need' by running for MP without telling her
- Antonia Bance has been selected to stand for Labour in the General Election
Antonia Bance and her wife are 'fine' and have patched up their differences after an online rant slamming her for running for MP without telling her other half.
The post - sent late on Thursday - was swiftly deleted and it is understood the couple have since patched up their differences. One source insisted the relationship was 'fine'.
The Londoner - who was accused of abandoning her spouse in her 'hour of need' -said it was the 'honour of her life' to be selected to stand for Labour in the forthcoming General Election.
The head of communications at the TUC wasted no time in heading to the West Midlands on the campaign trail in the newly formed seat of Tipton and Wednesbury after her candidacy was announced late on Thursday.
But her joy was not shared by her wife and partner of 12 years it seems.
In a now deleted tweet, unhappy Charlotte Dawkins blasted Ms Bance for failing to consult her about her unexpected selection which came as she was grieving for her mother who died days earlier.
She also described Ms Bance's candidacy as a 'stitched-up trade union deal' involving deputy leader Angela Rayner and said that the decision to stand means she will be left caring for their daughter, five, and sick cat.
In the fiery tirade, Ms Dawkins wrote: 'Two days after you lose your mum suddenly, your so-called partner of the last 12 years and co-parent to your beautiful 5 year old ... then decides to tell you that they're standing for Parliament without any discussion with you, it's a stitched up Trade Union deal and her MP friends and the Deputy leader herself have intervened to make this happen and you just have to get on board with it.'
Charlotte Dawkins (pictured) blasted her wife Antonia Bance for failing to consult her about her unexpected selection which came as she was grieving for her mother who died days earlier
Antonia Bance (pictured) said it was the 'honour of her life' to be selected to stand for Labour in the forthcoming General Election
Ms Dawkins, 46, who lives with Ms Bance in Bexley, said she was made to feel 'unreasonable and selfish' when she said it was 'not the right time for our family' following her mother's death.
She said she was 'going to need to keep the home running... to provide all the childcare, make sure the cat who has lymphoma gets her chemo, deal with my own international job and somewhere along the line, maybe grieve for your mum… oh and the seat is Birmingham and she is leaving on Friday. That was just what I needed and clearly deserved after my mum dying in my arms.'
She ended her message with: 'Just when you think you know someone and you know what's important in this life – you're told you and your beloved daughter told matter as much as her need to be the Labour MP!
'So, yes please do consider voting for Antonia Bance if you're in Tipton and Wednesbury – she's just the kind of person to care for you in your hour of need! A shining of example of the very best that the Labour Party have to offer us!'
Ms Bance, 44, declined to comment, as did the Labour Party.
The post - sent late on Thursday - was swiftly deleted and it is understood the couple have since patched up their differences. One source insisted the relationship was 'fine'.
The post (pictured) - sent late on Thursday - was swiftly deleted and it is understood the couple have since patched up their differences
Ms Bance wasted no time in heading to the West Midlands on the campaign trail in the newly formed seat of Tipton and Wednesbury after her candidacy was announced late on Thursday
Speaking at the couple's £1million house in Bexley, Kent, Ms Deakins said: 'I'm grieving at the moment so it's not a good time, thank you.
'You have read the post and you have all you need. It was in the public domain and that's all I am going to say. It's a very difficult time at the moment.'
The Tipton and Wednesbury constituency is new for this General Election after the Boundary Commission's redrawing of the political map.
It is made up of the former West Bromwich West constituency which was won by Shaun Bailey for the Conservatives in 2019. According to Ms Bance's X account she supports Crystal Palace. She previously worked at domestic violence charity SafeLives.
