'She doesn't answer my letters': MP's fury at Yvette Cooper's 'celebrity' obsession after Health Secretary met Made in Chelsea star Louise Thompson about birth trauma

An MP has hit out at Health Secretary Yvette Cooper for meeting with reality TV star Louise Thompson while ignoring her own letters.Rosie Duffield, the independent MP for Canterbury, suggested she was being snubbed by Ms Cooper because she's 'not a celebrity' like Ms Thompson.The Health Secretary recently met with Ms Thompson, who starred in reality series Made in Chelsea, to discuss the issue of birth trauma.Ms Thompson has become a notable campaigner for better maternity care after nearly dying following the birth of her son in 2021.The 36-year-old, who is also a businesswoman and podcast host, has called for the appointment of a UK maternity commissioner.But Ms Duffield lashed out at Ms Cooper for meeting with a 'celebrity' and not herself as she replied to a social media post from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Yvette Cooper recently met with Louise Thompson, who starred in reality series Made in Chelsea, to discuss the issue of birth trauma But Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield lashed out at Ms Cooper for meeting with a 'celebrity' and not herselfShe wrote on X: 'I guess you've gotta laugh! Won 3 elections, was 1st ever MP to hold a debate/speak about my birth trauma, came up with the idea for an independent maternity commissioner when co-chairing Parliamentary group on Birth Trauma.'But I'm not a celebrity, ofc, so despite knowing the latest Health Sec for a decade - I don't get meetings, and my letters don't get replies.'Ms Duffield was elected at the 2024 general election as a Labour MP but later quit the party as she fumed at then-prime minister Keir Starmer's leadership.She added: 'Any time the @DHSCgovuk want to meet with the MPs elected to Parliament who've been working with professionals, parents and NGOs for years, let me know!'Apologies for not being a celebrity influencer and merely the representative for an area in one of the maternal health inquiries and Chair of the APPG on Birth Trauma...'Ms Duffield also posted: 'Despite the rant, it's not me I'm peed off for.'But if MPs like me are blanked and ghosted by new ministers, it's the electorate whose voices are being ignored - there is nothing on earth to excuse that.'We may not get to choose who gets promoted, but every single voter pays their higher salaries!!'Rebecca Matthews, who co-founded the Families Failed by OUH Maternity Services group, also criticised Ms Cooper.'Why choose to meet with a celeb & not harmed families?,' Ms Matthews posted on X.Ms Matthews has flagged concerns over the safety and quality of Oxford University Hospitals maternity care following the traumatic birth of her son in 2016.DHSC said Ms Cooper had used the meeting with Ms Thompson to 'thank her for speaking out about her traumatic birth experience and campaigning for the creation of a new Maternity and Neonatal Commissioner'.'This is a new role with statutory powers to help make care safer and more consistent for all,' the department added in a social media post alongside video footage of Ms Thompson's talks with the Health Secretary.DHSC added in an Instagram post: 'We've listened to Louise and the many other women who've raised concerns about the experience they had in NHS hospitals.'That's why we're creating the Commissioner role, armed with statutory powers to help make maternity and neonatal care safer and more consistent.'This is one of the key recommendations from Baroness Amos's investigation into maternity services in June, and we've acted on it already.'The Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce chaired by the Secretary of State will now help to shape the new Commissioner role and all the other reforms that need to sit alongside it.'And make sure that the trauma experienced by Louise and other campaigners continues to drive change for other mums and babies in the future.'Following the meeting, Ms Cooper hailed Ms Thompson as an 'incredible campaigner', adding: 'For her to speak out about her own experiences takes real courage'.Ms Thompson said: 'I feel so grateful to have caught some of Yvette Cooper's time.' DHSC and Ms Cooper's office have been contacted for comment.