Lucy Powell , the UK's Leader of the House of Commons, is facing intense backlash after comments she made during a BBC Radio 4 debate appeared to belittle concerns over grooming gangs—an issue that has long scarred British politics and policing.
Speaking on the BBC’s Any Questions? programme, Powell reacted to political commentator Tim Montgomerie’s mention of Channel 4’s recent documentary Groomed: The Truth About Britain’s Child Sex Scandal by saying: “Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Let’s get that dog whistle out, shall we?”
The comment was widely interpreted as dismissive, with critics accusing Powell of trivialising the scale of the abuse, much of which involved British-Pakistani men grooming and sexually abusing young white girls in towns like Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford.
Survivors condemn Powell’s remarks
Survivors of grooming gangs have condemned the Labour MP’s remarks as “disgusting” and “disrespectful.” Sarah Wilson, a survivor of the Rotherham abuse scandal , said Powell’s language captured the very attitude that allowed grooming gangs to operate unchecked for years.
“She doesn’t know what we’ve been through. The words ‘dog whistle’ are thrown around to silence people,” Wilson said. “This is the same mindset that caused so many professionals to stay silent when we begged for help.”
Marlon West, the father of a survivor featured in the Channel 4 documentary , said he felt “abused and disrespected” all over again. “To call this a dog whistle… it’s like she was trying to score political points off our pain,” he told UK media.
Political fallout for Labour
The backlash has spilled into Westminster, where several Conservative MPs have called for Powell to resign. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said Powell’s “contemptuous tone” was an insult to victims. “This isn’t about politics — it’s about acknowledging one of the most serious institutional failures in modern British history.”
The ruling Conservative Party has accused Labour of downplaying the grooming gangs crisis for years due to fears of appearing racist. The party has also criticised Labour’s decision not to launch a national inquiry into grooming gangs since coming to power.
Chris Philp, the Conservative MP for Croydon South, added: “These aren’t dog whistles. These are crimes. And Lucy Powell’s comments show a disturbing lack of seriousness about child exploitation .”
Even within Labour, the incident has sparked unease. Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended Powell, but admitted her language was “poorly judged” and said she had been “mortified” at the reaction.
Powell’s apology
In response to the outcry, Powell issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), saying:
“In the heat of a discussion on Any Questions, 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.”
However, many critics — including abuse survivors — have rejected the apology as insufficient.
A long, painful history
The scandal over grooming gangs has haunted British institutions for more than a decade. In 2014, the Jay Report found that at least 1,400 girls were abused in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. Subsequent investigations found similar patterns in other towns. Victims were often not believed, and authorities failed to act amid concerns over community relations and political sensitivities.
The perpetrators in many of these cases were groups of British-Pakistani men, which led to widespread debate about whether cultural taboos around race had contributed to the institutional silence.
Earlier this year, Channel 4’s documentary revisited the issue, featuring harrowing testimony from survivors, whistleblowers, and families still seeking justice. The documentary reignited public outrage and prompted calls for a national inquiry — something the Labour government has so far resisted, opting instead for “localised reviews.”
What it means for Labour
The Powell controversy has reignited longstanding criticism of Labour’s record on grooming gangs — especially in its traditional northern strongholds where the abuse scandals first emerged. Many survivors and community leaders accuse Labour-led councils of turning a blind eye to the abuse for years, prioritising political correctness over child safety.
With an election expected next year, the Labour Party is facing renewed pressure to take a more transparent stance. But for survivors, Powell’s comments served as a painful reminder of a system that failed them — and of politicians who still struggle to speak plainly about why.
As the debate continues, one question lingers in the public consciousness: can justice ever be served if political leaders are still afraid to name the problem?
Speaking on the BBC’s Any Questions? programme, Powell reacted to political commentator Tim Montgomerie’s mention of Channel 4’s recent documentary Groomed: The Truth About Britain’s Child Sex Scandal by saying: “Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Let’s get that dog whistle out, shall we?”
The comment was widely interpreted as dismissive, with critics accusing Powell of trivialising the scale of the abuse, much of which involved British-Pakistani men grooming and sexually abusing young white girls in towns like Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford.
Survivors condemn Powell’s remarks
Survivors of grooming gangs have condemned the Labour MP’s remarks as “disgusting” and “disrespectful.” Sarah Wilson, a survivor of the Rotherham abuse scandal , said Powell’s language captured the very attitude that allowed grooming gangs to operate unchecked for years.
“She doesn’t know what we’ve been through. The words ‘dog whistle’ are thrown around to silence people,” Wilson said. “This is the same mindset that caused so many professionals to stay silent when we begged for help.”
Marlon West, the father of a survivor featured in the Channel 4 documentary , said he felt “abused and disrespected” all over again. “To call this a dog whistle… it’s like she was trying to score political points off our pain,” he told UK media.
Political fallout for Labour
The backlash has spilled into Westminster, where several Conservative MPs have called for Powell to resign. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said Powell’s “contemptuous tone” was an insult to victims. “This isn’t about politics — it’s about acknowledging one of the most serious institutional failures in modern British history.”
The ruling Conservative Party has accused Labour of downplaying the grooming gangs crisis for years due to fears of appearing racist. The party has also criticised Labour’s decision not to launch a national inquiry into grooming gangs since coming to power.
Chris Philp, the Conservative MP for Croydon South, added: “These aren’t dog whistles. These are crimes. And Lucy Powell’s comments show a disturbing lack of seriousness about child exploitation .”
Even within Labour, the incident has sparked unease. Health Secretary Wes Streeting defended Powell, but admitted her language was “poorly judged” and said she had been “mortified” at the reaction.
Powell’s apology
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…
— Lucy Powell MP (@LucyMPowell) May 3, 2025
In response to the outcry, Powell issued a statement on X (formerly Twitter), saying:
“In the heat of a discussion on Any Questions, 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.”
However, many critics — including abuse survivors — have rejected the apology as insufficient.
A long, painful history
The scandal over grooming gangs has haunted British institutions for more than a decade. In 2014, the Jay Report found that at least 1,400 girls were abused in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013. Subsequent investigations found similar patterns in other towns. Victims were often not believed, and authorities failed to act amid concerns over community relations and political sensitivities.
The perpetrators in many of these cases were groups of British-Pakistani men, which led to widespread debate about whether cultural taboos around race had contributed to the institutional silence.
Earlier this year, Channel 4’s documentary revisited the issue, featuring harrowing testimony from survivors, whistleblowers, and families still seeking justice. The documentary reignited public outrage and prompted calls for a national inquiry — something the Labour government has so far resisted, opting instead for “localised reviews.”
What it means for Labour
The Powell controversy has reignited longstanding criticism of Labour’s record on grooming gangs — especially in its traditional northern strongholds where the abuse scandals first emerged. Many survivors and community leaders accuse Labour-led councils of turning a blind eye to the abuse for years, prioritising political correctness over child safety.
With an election expected next year, the Labour Party is facing renewed pressure to take a more transparent stance. But for survivors, Powell’s comments served as a painful reminder of a system that failed them — and of politicians who still struggle to speak plainly about why.
As the debate continues, one question lingers in the public consciousness: can justice ever be served if political leaders are still afraid to name the problem?
You may also like
Kolkata: Police make another arrest in hotel fire case; 4 held so far
Fears for 'UK's most dangerous prisoner' after girlfriend receives ominous letter
'Scratched my chest…' Jodhpur Dalit nurse dies by suicide after assault, police inaction
Sonu Nigam barred from Kannada Film Industry events amid Bengaluru concert controversy
Manipur Governor reviews ongoing National Highway projects
