A government lawyer, as well as the department where she works, is being sued after she made 'gender-critical' comments at work - like stating her belief that only women have periods.

Elspeth Duemmer Wrigley, who works at an "arm's-length body to a government department" - the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Times reported - chairs its Sex Equality and Equity Network, a gender-critical group open to public sector staff who are "committed to the protected belief that biological sex is binary and immutable".

Duemmer Wrigley had signed a letter to the cabinet secretary in October which warned the Civil Service's impartiality had been endangered by gender-critical staff being "openly and unlawfully bullied and harassed".

The letter put forward scathing allegations against a "small number of active gender ideologues" in the Civil Service who attempted to amend official documents and briefed against ministers.

Duemmer Wrigley signed a letter to the Civil Service criticising "ideologues" who attempted to amend official documents and briefed against ministers

She is due to appear at an employment tribunal next week, accused of harassment for a number of comments and posts she had put forward at work.

An employee of another Defra-affiliated body is suing the department for allowing the SEEN network to exist - as well as personally taking legal action against Duemmer Wrigley for her views.

Duemmer Wrigley is under the microscope for comments including saying "only women menstruate" during a seminar on female autism, and a post in which she promoted "diversity of belief" and said being gender-critical was a 'protected belief'.

A government spokesperson said: "We are unable to comment on ongoing legal proceedings."