A veteran Labour activist is facing a private prosecution after comments she made at a rally allegedly threatened violence against transgender rights activists.

Linda Bellos appeared in court today after Giuliana Kendal, a transgender rights campaigner, brought a private prosecution against the former Lambeth borough council leader for telling a rally she was willing to “thump” trans activists.

Ms Bellos, 67, a friend of Jeremy Corbyn, was speaking at a feminist event called ‘We Need To Talk About The GRA’ [Gender Recognition Act] in York on November 8 last year when she made the comments.

Captured on camera she said: “Having borne two children I think I'm physiologically, and in many other senses, a female and a woman.

“But I play football and I box, and if any one of those b******s comes near me I will take off my glasses and thump them.” She added she was “quite prepared to threaten violence” because trans-rights activists were seeking to anger women.