Labour has been accused of "abandoning" rape gang victims after Sir Keir Starmer defended Commons Leader Lucy Powell despite her dismissal of the abuse scandal as a "dog whistle".
Shadow Equalities Minister Mims Davies repeated calls for a national public inquiry to MPs today, accusing Labour of being more interested in "protecting their own" than getting justice for the victims.
"Is this Government simply more interested in protecting their own, rather than staying true to their manifesto pledge, which says we will use every tool to target perpetrators?" Davies blasted.
"Labour are turning their back... You can hear it once again with the Leader of this House calling it dog whistle politics on national radio.
Labour Minister Jess Phillips
PA
"So why won't this Minister [Jess Phillips] and her frontbench commit to deliver a proper national statutory public inquiry and finally, put victims first?"
Phillips replied: "I will absolutely protect my own in this, and my own in this are the women in our country who for the last 14 years have had no effort made.
"People say terrible things, and the Leader of the House was right to apologise."
Powell had sparked a major outcry in a BBC discussion about Channel 4 documentary on grooming gangs after telling Tim Montgomerie: "Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Let's get that dog whistle out, shall we?"
Sir Keir Starmer
PA
The situation went from bad to worse for Labour after Starmer appeared to agree with Powell about the rape gangs scandal being “weaponised”.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: "It's obviously disappointing for people to do so.
"But the Prime Minister's focused on taking the action that is needed to deliver for victims rather than focused on political scoring."
When pushed on who was making these comments, the No10 spokesman added: "I think any political point scoring on an issue such as this is disappointing.
“The Government is focused on taking action to deliver justice for victims."
Commons Leader Lucy Powell MPPAShadow Home Secretary Chris Philp labelled Starmer as "pathetic", adding: "Speaking out for rape gang victims and against the cover up that followed is: not 'a far-right bandwagon', not 'a dog whistle', not 'weaponising' anything.
"They should deal with the issue and hold a proper national statutory public inquiry."
Vote Leave mastermind Dominic Cummings added: "Good to have it officially confirmed the PM and No10 do think that campaigning for a national Inquiry to end the coverups on the rape gangs is weaponising racism etc.
"This is the same mentality that drove all the coverups for years. And they’re openly pushing it from No10 press office.
"Every voter in England should get the message about how much they hate us and why they won’t stop importing rapists from the exact same tribes even now."
