Lucy Powell dismissed the horrific rape gangs scandal as “little trumpet”, with critics deeming her comments “abhorrent” and calling for her to resign.
The Commons leader was speaking to political correspondent Tim Montgomerie on BBC’s Any Questions last night when a discussion about councils got heated.
A day after the Local Government elections, Montgomerie was discussing diversity and inclusion policies within councils.
He said that council workers are now having to spend lots of time on this “issue”, which he said is an “extraordinary diversion”, which Powell and Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Health and Social Care Helen Morgan MP highly contested.
Lucy Powell dismissed the horrific rape gangs scandal as 'little trumpet'
PA
Montgomerie then asked if Powell had seen a recent Channel 4 documentary on rape gangs.
Powell replied: “Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Let’s get that dog whistle out, shall we, yeah?“
After some interjections, Montgomerie said: “There are so many people in local governments, in the authorities, who for good reasons are worried about upsetting community tensions that those girls went undefended. No one has still been brought to justice.
“You tell me Lucy that this isn’t a culture in local government, it’s just not true.”
Powell’s comments were branded “deeply offensive” online, with some calling for her resignation.
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GB NEWSRupert Lowe, MP for Great Yarmouth, wrote to Powell where he said her remarks “diminish and mock the genuine and justified outrage felt by millions of British people”.
“Your words trivialise one of the most shameful, festering scandals in British history: the industrial rape and sexual torture of young, working-class white girls by predominantly Pakistania men in towns and cities across the country.”
He said that to call it a “dog whistle” was “abhorrent and insulting”, and called on Powell to issue a public apology.
Responding to the comments, Reform UK said: “If yesterday’s local election results weren’t enough, Lucy Powell’s abhorrent comments truly demonstrate how out of touch the Labour Party is.
Rupert Lowe said her remarks 'diminish and mock the genuine and justified outrage felt by millions of British people'
GETTY“She does not take the mass rape of young girls by predominantly Pakistani men seriously. The mask has slipped.
“After these comments, Keir Starmer should consider if Lucy Powell is fit to serve.”
Chris Philp, Shadow Home Secretary, called for her to resign."Her comment belittles thousands of girls who were raped by grooming gangs over decades The shocking channel 4 documentary shows this is not a ‘dog whistle’ Dismissing thousands of victims who were raped & the cover up is sickening."
Users on X said Powell was "despicable" and she needs to "resign, in the heat of discussion your views were made clear. They are unacceptable and offensive".
Powell posted on X following the backlash. She said: “In the heat of a discussion on AQ, I would like to clarify that I regard issues of child exploitation & grooming with the utmost seriousness. I’m sorry if this was unclear.
“I was challenging the political point scoring around it, not the issue itself. As a constituency MP I’ve dealt with horrendous cases. This Gvt is acting to get to the truth, and deliver justice.”
Issuing a statement on the "dog whistle remark", Chris Philp MP said: “Lucy Powell should resign or be fired for what she said on AQ.
“By dismissing raising rape gangs as a 'dog whistle' she is guilty of precisely the same attitude that allowed this to be covered up in the first place.
“It is shameful that the Prime Minister is apparently standing by her. If Lucy Powell won’t resign, Keir Starmer should fire her if he is serious about this issue
“But Keir Starmer is still refusing a proper national inquiry, and seems intent on perpetuating the cover up.
“Keir Starmer himself said as recently as January that raising the rape gang issue was a 'far right bandwagon,' which was a disgraceful smear. Perhaps Lucy Powell’s comment represents what Labour really thinks about this issue.
“Lucy Powell’s comment belittles thousands of girls who were raped by grooming gangs over decades.
The shocking Channel 4 documentary last week shows this is not a ‘dog whistle’.
“Dismissing thousands of victims who were raped and the cover up that followed is sickening.”
A Rotherham rape gang survivor Sarah (@Sarahw9111) tweeted this last night: “This is what victims and survivors have been up against all these years this is why we wasn’t listened to they never cared and never will !!!
“Totally dismissed survivors and our experiences of been groomed!
“I was an 11 year old little girl been raped and trafficked all across England trying to blow the ‘dogs’ whistle and be saved but instead they chucked us to the dogs and left us to be tortured!!!”
GB News has contacted Labour for comment.
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