Labour Under Fire as Grooming Survivors Condemn Minister’s ‘Dog Whistle’ Remark

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Labour Under Fire as Grooming Survivors Condemn Minister’s ‘Dog Whistle’ Remark

 

Survivors of grooming gang abuse have fiercely criticised Labour frontbencher Lucy Powell after she referred to the scandal as a “dog whistle” issue during a BBC Radio 4 broadcast. Her comments have sparked widespread anger from victims, campaigners, and political opponents, with many accusing her of trivialising a deeply traumatic and ongoing national issue.

 

Sarah Wilson, who was abused from the age of 11 by gangs in Rotherham and has since become a prominent campaigner, expressed her deep disappointment with Powell’s remarks. “This is what victims and survivors have been up against all these years. This is why we weren’t listened to. They never cared, and they never will. [They] totally dismissed survivors and our experiences of being groomed,” Wilson wrote in response to a video clip shared online.

 

Former senior Labour adviser Tom Baldwin and Commentator and Reform UK supporter Tim Montgomerie discuss the reaction to senior minister Lucy Powell calling for grooming gang inquiries a "dog whistle"

Former senior Labour adviser Tom Baldwin and Commentator and Reform UK supporter Tim Montgomerie discuss the reaction to senior minister Lucy Powell calling for grooming gang inquiries a "dog whistle"https://t.co/uMKV56XnUO

📺 Sky 501 #TrevorPhillips pic.twitter.com/xsTW0zJD1k

— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 4, 2025

 

The controversy began when Powell, MP for Manchester Central, responded dismissively to a question posed by Reform UK supporter Tim Montgomerie on Any Questions, in which he asked about her views on a Channel 4 documentary about rape gangs. Interrupting, Powell retorted: “Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Yeah, OK, let’s get that dog whistle out.”

 

 

Her comments were met with immediate backlash. Scarlett, a 20-year-old grooming survivor from Greater Manchester who featured in the documentary, and her father Marlon, said they felt retraumatised. “Scarlett and I, who shared our story in the documentary despite the emotional challenges, are outraged by Lucy Powell,” Marlon said. “We feel abused and disrespected once again, and we did not anticipate this kind of treatment from our government leaders. You have used us as a political tool for an excuse to be critical towards Conservatives rather than supporting a public inquiry. You should be ashamed.”

 

Despite mounting pressure and calls for her resignation, including from within her own party, Powell will remain in post as Leader of the House of Commons. Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed on Sunday that she would not be stepping down, saying: “Yes. I think she made a genuine mistake, she’s owned up to it, she said sorry and we’ll move on.” He added that Powell was “mortified” by the reaction and deeply regretted her words.

 

Powell released a statement on Saturday night attempting to clarify her position. “I would like to clarify that I regard issues of child exploitation and 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,” she said.

 

A source close to Powell also stated that she had privately reached out to victims in Manchester to offer support and would continue to engage with them. Nonetheless, criticism continued to mount from both within and outside the Labour Party. One Labour peer told The Telegraph, “Most people I’ve spoken to think she should be sacked. Nobody expects her to survive this, and nor should she. It’s outrageous.”

 

Labour’s handling of grooming gang scandals has also come under renewed scrutiny. The party recently dropped its plan for five specific local inquiries in favour of a more “flexible approach,” allowing councils to determine how to address the issue. This could include full inquiries, but may also involve victim panels or internal audits.

 

Meanwhile, the Government is awaiting the results of an audit led by Baroness Casey into the scale and nature of grooming and the demographic profile of the perpetrators. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government has committed to further action, while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has so far resisted calls for a national statutory inquiry, despite support for one from senior Labour figures such as Andy Burnham and Dan Carden.

 

For many survivors, Powell’s remarks represent a painful reminder of past failures. The reaction underscores the lasting wounds of institutional inaction and the sensitivity surrounding a scandal that continues to reverberate across the country.

 

  Adpated by ASEAN Now from The Telegraph  2025-05-05

 

 

[JonnyF]

Disgraceful comments, trying to dismiss the very real and very serious issues of the rape gangs with a sneering arrogance.

 

If Starmer had any minerals he would sack her. But he hasn't, so he won't. 

[BangkokReady]

Absolutely disgusting.  This is the exact reason that people ignored the rape gangs in the first place.  Scared of being labelled racist and not caring about working class people.

 

Heads should be rolling over this whole thing.  It should be a "never again" type of thing.  But apparently not making brown people look bad takes precedence and people actively don't want to fix the thing that caused this to happen in the first place.

 

The perpetrators, and people like them, must be laughing at the British people.

[FlorC]

In moslim britain , women don't count.

[JonnyF]

3 hours ago, FlorC said:

In moslim britain , women don't count.

 

Certainly the case if they are white and working class. 

 

[JonnyF]

11 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

The perpetrators, and people like them, must be laughing at the British people.

 

Totally agree.

 

Also interesting that the "Progressives" like  @Chomper Higgot are avoiding this thread like the plague. 

 

I seem to recall they also resort to the "dog whistle" copy/paste retort when the inconvenient truths about the rape gangs that they try to downplay surface.

 

Birds of a feather. 

 

Disgraceful.

[JackGats]

Quotation from a blogger who has guts: "The grooming gang panic is what you get when you mix the child sex abuse hoax with racism".

[BangkokReady]

54 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

I seem to recall they also resort to the "dog whistle" copy/paste retort when the inconvenient truths about the rape gangs that they try to downplay surface.

40 minutes ago, JackGats said:

Quotation from a blogger who has guts: "The grooming gang panic is what you get when you mix the child sex abuse hoax with racism".

 

Unfortunately, brown people are "the good guys" and the virtue signalling wokesters desperately need them to be painted in a positive light and as being oppressed by the White people.

 

This means that they don't want anyone to be able to say "look at what a number of groups of brown people have done a number of times in similar circumstances".  So they have to shut it down and call everyone racist.

[Chomper Higgot]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

Totally agree.

 

Also interesting that the "Progressives" like  @Chomper Higgot are avoiding this thread like the plague. 

 

I seem to recall they also resort to the "dog whistle" copy/paste retort when the inconvenient truths about the rape gangs that they try to downplay surface.

 

Birds of a feather. 

 

Disgraceful.

Jonny, are you missing me that much that you need to announce it to the whole board?

…….

The truths about the rape gangs were revealed in the Tory Government inquiry that published those truths and recommended actions to be taken, non of which the Tory Government acted upon.

 

When the Labour Government’s Bill to protect children was in its final stages the Tories, and Reform MP’s submitted and voted for an amendment that’s whole purpose was to prevent the Bill passing into law.

 

Both parties then lied about the ‘amendment’ claiming it was calling for a second inquiry to be added to the Bill.

 

The fact is the Bill was at its second reading, amendments are not added at second readings.

 

So no, I’m not particularly interested in the rightwing playing politics with this issue and it is my opinion that playing politics with this issue is precisely what the rightwing are up to.

 

I also  note how often the rape gangs ate dragged into threads in which they are not the topic of discussion, often by you.

 

So sorry I’ve not been giving you the attention you so obviously crave and no I’m not particularly interested in such obvious politicking by people who failed to act on the inquiry recommendations, then actively sought to block a law providing protections for children,  then lied about and continue to lie about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Magictoad]

10 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Jonny, are you missing me that much that you need to announce it to the whole board?

…….

The truths about the rape gangs were revealed in the Tory Government inquiry that published those truths and recommended actions to be taken, non of which the Tory Government acted upon.

 

When the Labour Government’s Bill to protect children was in its final stages the Tories, and Reform MP’s submitted and voted for an amendment that’s whole purpose was to prevent the Bill passing into law.

 

Both parties then lied about the ‘amendment’ claiming it was calling for a second inquiry to be added to the Bill.

 

The fact is the Bill was at its second reading, amendments are not added at second readings.

 

So no, I’m not particularly interested in the rightwing playing politics with this issue and it is my opinion that playing politics with this issue is precisely what the rightwing are up to.

 

I also  note how often the rape gangs ate dragged into threads in which they are not the topic of discussion, often by you.

 

So sorry I’ve not been giving you the attention you so obviously crave and no I’m not particularly interested in such obvious politicking by people who failed to act on the inquiry recommendations, then actively sought to block a law providing protections for children,  then lied about and continue to lie about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is not colour of their skin but their religion and the area they come from in Pakistan. The Liberal/lefties can't bare to accept that not all people are the same.

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, Magictoad said:

It is not colour of their skin but their religion and the area they come from in Pakistan. The Liberal/lefties can't bare to accept that not all people are the same.

I haven’t got a clue why you think that ‘offering’ has anything at all to do with my post which you replied to.

 

 

[Magictoad]

33 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Jonny, are you missing me that much that you need to announce it to the whole board?

…….

The truths about the rape gangs were revealed in the Tory Government inquiry that published those truths and recommended actions to be taken, non of which the Tory Government acted upon.

 

When the Labour Government’s Bill to protect children was in its final stages the Tories, and Reform MP’s submitted and voted for an amendment that’s whole purpose was to prevent the Bill passing into law.

 

Both parties then lied about the ‘amendment’ claiming it was calling for a second inquiry to be added to the Bill.

 

The fact is the Bill was at its second reading, amendments are not added at second readings.

 

So no, I’m not particularly interested in the rightwing playing politics with this issue and it is my opinion that playing politics with this issue is precisely what the rightwing are up to.

 

I also  note how often the rape gangs ate dragged into threads in which they are not the topic of discussion, often by you.

 

So sorry I’ve not been giving you the attention you so obviously crave and no I’m not particularly interested in such obvious politicking by people who failed to act on the inquiry recommendations, then actively sought to block a law providing protections for children,  then lied about and continue to lie about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is not colour of their skin but their religion and the area they come from in Pakistan. The Liberal/lefties can't bare to accept that not all people are the same.

[JonnyF]

10 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I also  note how often the rape gangs ate dragged into threads in which they are not the topic of discussion, often by you.

 

What on earth are you talking about? 😃

 

This whole thread is about Labour's disgusting comments about someone having the temerity to raise the issue of the rape gangs. Revolting comments which aim to shut down any debate on the issue. 

 

Comments which (unsurprisingly) you seem to agree with.  

[Bkk Brian]

12 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Jonny, are you missing me that much that you need to announce it to the whole board?

…….

The truths about the rape gangs were revealed in the Tory Government inquiry that published those truths and recommended actions to be taken, non of which the Tory Government acted upon.

 

When the Labour Government’s Bill to protect children was in its final stages the Tories, and Reform MP’s submitted and voted for an amendment that’s whole purpose was to prevent the Bill passing into law.

 

Both parties then lied about the ‘amendment’ claiming it was calling for a second inquiry to be added to the Bill.

 

The fact is the Bill was at its second reading, amendments are not added at second readings.

 

So no, I’m not particularly interested in the rightwing playing politics with this issue and it is my opinion that playing politics with this issue is precisely what the rightwing are up to.

 

I also  note how often the rape gangs ate dragged into threads in which they are not the topic of discussion, often by you.

 

So sorry I’ve not been giving you the attention you so obviously crave and no I’m not particularly interested in such obvious politicking by people who failed to act on the inquiry recommendations, then actively sought to block a law providing protections for children,  then lied about and continue to lie about it.

 

Wow, did you even bother reading the OP before going into a fake rage?

 

The survivors of of the rape gang abuse have severely criticized Lucy Powell for her highly disrespectable and insensitive comment, Lucy herself apologized and a few days ago even Jess Phillips had admitted there had been a “cover-up” for “multicultural reasons”.

 

Your dismissal of the facts and defense of such remarks is truly abominable.

 

Attempts like this to stifle debate on what really happened with accusations that they are playing politics is inflammatory and repugnant to the 1000's of victims of these Muslim rape gangs.

 

[Chomper Higgot]

2 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

What on earth are you talking about? 😃

 

This whole thread is about Labour's disgusting comments about someone having the temerity to raise the issue of the rape gangs. Revolting comments which aim to shut down any debate on the issue. 

 

Comments which (unsurprisingly) you seem to agree with.  

Like I said, politicking.

 

People and Parties who failed to act on the recommendations of the inquiry into rape gangs and attempted to block the Labour Government’s Bill to provide increased protection for children, now politicking.

And Jonny, do not assume my opinions on anything I have not myself made a statement on.

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

Like I said, politicking.

 

People and Parties who failed to act on the recommendations of the inquiry into rape gangs and attempted to block the Labour Government’s Bill to provide increased protection for children, now politicking.

And Jonny, do not assume my opinions on anything I have not myself made a statement on.

 

 

The only one politicking here is you, disgusting

 

7 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Wow, did you even bother reading the OP before going into a fake rage?

 

The survivors of of the rape gang abuse have severely criticized Lucy Powell for her highly disrespectable and insensitive comment, Lucy herself apologized and a few days ago even Jess Phillips had admitted there had been a “cover-up” for “multicultural reasons”.

 

Your dismissal of the facts and defense of such remarks is truly abominable.

 

Attempts like this to stifle debate on what really happened with accusations that they are playing politics is inflammatory and repugnant to the 1000's of victims of these Muslim rape gangs.

 

 

[JonnyF]

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

And Jonny, do not assume my opinions on anything I have not myself made a statement on.

 

You mean statements like this?

 

13 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

So no, I’m not particularly interested in the rightwing playing politics with this issue and it is my opinion that playing politics with this issue is precisely what the rightwing are up to.

 

As bad as she is. 

[Chomper Higgot]

26 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

You mean statements like this?

 

 

As bad as she is. 

There you go truncating my posts to remove context.

 

Even then you couldn’t demonstrate any point.