Health Secretary Wes Streeting has branded Commons leader Lucy Powell's remarks about grooming gangs as "indefensible" following widespread backlash.
Speaking to GB News, Streeting said: "The comments that Lucy made were indefensible, and she's not defending those comments."
He added that Powell is "mortified" about her comments made during a BBC Radio 4 programme.
"I know that she is mortified. She deeply regrets what she said," Streeting told GB News.
Wes Streeting said Lucy Powell is 'mortified' by her remarks
GB NEWS
The Health Secretary acknowledged that victims and victims' groups had been hurt by Powell's remarks.
"I'm really sorry that people have been hurt by what's been said," he stated.
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Wes Streeting joined Eamonn Holmes and Ellie Costello on GB News
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The controversy began when Powell appeared on BBC Radio 4's Any Questions programme on Friday night alongside Conservative Party co-chairman Nigel Huddleston, Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan and political commentator Tim Montgomerie.
When Montgomerie mentioned a recent Channel 4 documentary about women who had been groomed and abused by gangs, Powell responded: "Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Let's get that dog whistle out, shall we?"
Her dismissive tone prompted immediate criticism, with many accusing the Manchester Central MP of belittling serious crimes.
Montgomerie later told Sky News her comments were "clearly ill-judged" but had "wider resonance" in what he described as a tendency to "stifle debate".
Labour's Lucy Powell made the comments on Radio 4 on Friday PAPowell posted an apology on social media on Saturday night, writing: "In the heat of a discussion on (Any Questions) I would like to clarify that I regard issues of child exploitation & grooming with the utmost seriousness. I'm sorry if this was unclear."
She added: "I was challenging the political point scoring around it, not the issue itself."
Her office emphasised that she had "quickly apologised" and clarified her comments "were not in any way directed at the victims".
The MP "deeply regrets that her comments have given the impression of anything other than she thinks these are incredibly serious and important matters".
Powell's office noted she has reached out privately to victims in Manchester and would continue to support them.
Addressing the substance of the issue, Streeting highlighted government actions on grooming gangs.
"We've asked every police force in England and Wales to go back to all of those historic cases where no further action was taken," he said.
This review aims to determine "whether there is more that can be done to bring perpetrators to justice".
The government has also removed time limits that previously restricted victims from seeking independent reviews of their cases.
Streeting noted that Louise Casey is currently conducting an audit of all actions taken.
"We will be receiving that shortly and reporting on next steps," he told GB News.
