Sir Keir Starmer has been branded "pathetic" after sparking outrage by accusing people of "weaponising" the rape gangs scandal for "political point scoring".
The row comes just days after Commons Leader Lucy Powell was forced to apologise for describing a recent Channel 4 grooming gangs documentary as "dog whistle".
When asked if Starmer shared Powell's view that the rape gangs scandal is 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."
Keir Starmer
PAWhen 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."
The response from Downing Street sparked fury from the Prime Minister's critics.
Shadow 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."
Labour's Lucy Powell made the comments on Radio 4 on Friday PAVote 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."
Powell's rape gangs blunder came after being embroiled in a heated exchange with Tory-turned-Reformer Tim Montgomerie.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Keir Starmer
PAResponding to Montgomerie's query about whether she had watched the Channel 4 documentary Groomed: A National Scandal, Powell said: "Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now do we."
The Manchester Central MP added: "Let's get that dog whistle out shall we."
However, Starmer had already faced backlash over the weekend after being accused of having "two-tier telly" views for failing to respond to the grooming gangs show with the same horror he had after watching Netflix's Adolescence.
Philp said: “This shocking documentary laid bare the shameful cover-up of rape gangs, which were covered up because the perpetrators were mainly of Pakistani origin.
“Keir Starmer called on Adolescence to be shown in every school. This is factual, not a drama, so will he join me in calling for this to be shown in every school and every police force? If he doesn’t, then he will be guilty of two-tier standards and two-tier telly.”
