There are calls for Labour MP Lucy Powell, who is also the leader of the House of Commons, to be fired after replying "Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Yeah, OK, let’s get that dog whistle out" after being asked a question about rape gangs.
On BBC Any Questions Tim Montgomerie said "I don’t know if you saw the documentary on Channel 4 about rape gangs". Lucy Powell interrupted with "Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Yeah, OK, let’s get that dog whistle out".
Conservative MP Robert Jenrick commented on Ms Powell's stance, posting to X:
Wow. Listen to this.
Labour’s Lucy Powell thinks it’s a ‘dog whistle’ to demand arrests and accountability for the rape gangs.
What a disgusting betrayal of the victims.
They are part of the cover up.
Lucy Powell has tried to downplay her words, posting an explanation to X:
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.
https://twitter.com/RobertJenrick/status/1918697619276099609
https://twitter.com/LucyMPowell/status/1918723444918661357
