Labour MP calls grooming gangs scandal "a dog whistle issue"

[Livia]

Labour minister Lucy Powell is facing mounting calls to resign after she dismissed the grooming gangs scandal as a "dog whistle" issue. Speaking on Radio 4's 'Any Questions', political commentator Tim Evans raised the issue of grooming gangs. Powell stated, "Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Yeah, OK, let's get that dog whistle out."

Yet another government minister trying to minimise the suffering of young white women at the hands of Pakistani grooming gangs. Lucy Powell MP says her comments were taken out of context. Were they? Should she resign?

[joeysteele]

Labour minister Lucy Powell is facing mounting calls to resign after she dismissed the grooming gangs scandal as a "dog whistle" issue. Speaking on Radio 4's 'Any Questions', political commentator Tim Evans raised the issue of grooming gangs. Powell stated, "Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Yeah, OK, let's get that dog whistle out."

Yet another government minister trying to minimise the suffering of young white women at the hands of Pakistani grooming gangs. Lucy Powell MP says her comments were taken out of context. Were they? Should she resign?

Yes, she should resign.

The answer to this is when you're saying anything DON'T put it in any way where it could OR it can be taken out of context.
It's bad enough this issue is even a politicised one in my view.
However the old saying whoever said it of, 'it's better to be thought a fool but be silent rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt', seems appropriate here.

She's actually made a few gaffes in parliament too in debates, as I watch a good number of the parliamentary debates, she often hasn't come across well unfortunately.

[thesheriff443]

I don’t about her comments but lots of people turned a blind eye to what was happening
They should be in prison

[Livia]

Yes, she should resign.

The answer to this is when you're saying anything DON'T put it in any way where it could OR it can be taken out of context.
It's bad enough this issue is even a politicised one in my view.
However the old saying whoever said it of, 'it's better to be thought a fool but be silent rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt', seems appropriate here.

She's actually made a few gaffes in parliament too in debates, as I watch a good number of the parliamentary debates, she often hasn't come across well unfortunately.

It staggers me that people who can't control their mouth end up in the Cabinet and speaking on TV and radio. And I refer to all parties. It was a dreadful mistake for her to have made, especially considering the amount of people, like Sheriff says, who ignored this issue and who really should be in jail.

[MTVN]

Labour have never taken this seriously. They think it's more important to falsely shout anti-racism rather than protect young girls or get justice

[Cherie]

Maggie Oliver is with Ali Mirage on LBC now, 7 years the initial enquiry took and nothing has changed ...

[arista]

Labour minister Lucy Powell

Yes
she should say sorry.........

[Livia]

This woman looks like keeping her job then... Still, it was poor, white British girls who were abused, raped, trafficked, passed around, politicians couldn't give a toss about them. Imagine if it was white men and Pakistani girls. Starmer should show some backbone and sack this disgusting woman.

[Oliver_W]

Netflix releases a drama: OMG WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT TOXIC WHITE BOYS!!
Channel 4 releases a documentary: OMG THIS IS RACIST DOG WHISTLING!!

[Beso]

And the police allow trans activists and far left Gaza supporters to hurl slurs like fascists, Nazi, racist act etc at survivors of the grooming gangs. Only acting to arrest the survivors to prevent a breach of the piece..GMP at their finest.

[Liam-]

Tbf the situation is being used as a dog whistle to tar all Asian and/or Muslim men with the same brush, which is disgraceful, however a politician should have a bit more about them to not say it in such a manner as she did

[Beso]

People who need to offer some form of defence for this must be in a really bad place in life..

[Livia]

People who need to offer some form of defence for this must be in a really bad place in life..

People who offer a defence for these crimes must never have suffered any kind of set back or oppression in their lives, or they have no empathy whatsoever. People who offer a defence for this do it, I reckon, just to score what they believe to be moral point off other people. Really, anyone who doesn't think these crimes are disgusting and that it was allowed to continue, and does still continue today, because people think it's racist to say these Muslims are monsters, but they are. They are also organised and they target only white girls. Which in itself is racist.

[Beso]

People who offer a defence for these crimes must never have suffered any kind of set back or oppression in their lives, or they have no empathy whatsoever. People who offer a defence for this do it, I reckon, just to score what they believe to be moral point off other people. Really, anyone who doesn't think these crimes are disgusting and that it was allowed to continue, and does still continue today, because people think it's racist to say these Muslims are monsters, but they are. They are also organised and they target only white girls. Which in itself is racist.



Yeah, nobody mentions these Pakistani men tarring all British teenage, and younger girls as sluts, animals, etc etc. It always has to be an attack on British men and women, with the same tired old racist comments they like to use whilst sweeping things under carpets.

[user104658]

Hm. It is used as a dogwhistle issue, which doesn't mean it "is one", however there's nothing in pointing out that it's used as a dogwhistle that reduces the severity of what the issue is. Those are two completely separate considerations. It 100% is used to dogwhistle.

That said;

saying that openly, and definitely saying it in the way it was said, in public... let alone on the radio... is not good and most likely she should resign. It's something you acknowledge in a private conversation, not a statement you make publicly, especially knowing that the general public are unlikely to fully understand the concept.