Jack Monroe Withdraws Southend West General Election Candidacy

'I am making the decision to step back'.
Food blogger Jack Monroe has withdrawn their candidacy at the upcoming general election
Food blogger Jack Monroe has withdrawn their candidacy at the upcoming general election
PA Wire/PA Images

Food blogger Jack Monroe has withdrawn their candidacy at the upcoming general election.

Monroe had been due to stand as a candidate for the National Health Action party in Southend West, Essex.

Monroe posted a statement on Twitter highlighting a “chronic health condition” and “death threats” made to their home.

“My health is terrible right now... and after having two separate letters along the lines of ‘Die You Bitch’ delivered to my home address, I am making the decision to step back, for my own sanity and also the safety of my seven year old son,” they wrote.

“There are other reasons, too, my arthritis has left me crippled in bed more than once this week, and I feel throwing all of my energy into a personal campaign is the fastest way to burnout I can possibly imagine.”

National Health Action (NHA) was founded in 2012 as a response to the Health and Social Care Act.

Monroe, who has identified as non-binary transgender, was to be one of the party’s best-known candidates.

NHA targets seats across the country where local NHS services have been subject to private tender or reorganisation.

A spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “We love Jack, we’re very sorry but we’ve been talking to her [sic] and we would have liked to have done anything we could to support her candidacy but we agreed she can’t do it.”

The timing of the announcement meant the party could not submit a new candidate before today’s 4pm deadline.

Earlier this year, Monroe challenged MailOnline journalist Katie Hopkins in the courts over a defamatory tweet.

Monroe won the challenge and secured thousands in a settlement.

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