I'm absolutely livid about this. When I first read about Lucy Powell's comments, I nearly threw my coffee across the room. How DARE she trivialize something so horrific with that "dog whistle" nonsense?
The father of a young woman who survived years of sexual exploitation is rightfully furious after Cabinet Minister Lucy Powell appeared to brush off the grooming gangs scandal during a BBC Radio 4 interview. And honestly, can you blame him?
When politicians show their true colors
Marlon West, whose daughter Scarlett was trafficked and abused from age 14, didn't hold back. "Scarlett and I, who shared our story in the documentary despite the emotional challenges, are outraged by Lucy Powell," he said. "We feel abused and disrespected once again, and we did not anticipate this kind of treatment from government leaders."
God. Imagine having the courage to tell your story publicly, only to have a senior government minister dismiss it as political point-scoring.
West added that he felt like a "political tool" rather than someone deserving support for a national inquiry. His daughter only escaped teh clutches of these predators two years ago, after enduring abuse that began when she was just 14.
What the hell was she thinking?!
The controversy erupted when Powell appeared on BBC Radio 4 last Friday. When Reform campaigner Tim Montgomerie mentioned the Channel 4 documentary featuring five women's stories of being groomed and abused, Powell's response was shockingly dismissive: "Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Let's get that dog whistle out, shall we?"
I've watched politicians squirm out of tough questions for 15+ years as a journalist, but this response left me speechless.
Too little, too late?
Powell has since apologized, claiming she was challenging political point-scoring rather than the issue itself. But for survivors and their families, the damage is done.
Sarah Wilson, who suffered at the hands of paedophile gangs from age 11 in Rotherham, also condemned 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."
I spoke with a social worker friend last night who's worked with exploitation victims since 2009. Her response: "Already updating my resume... I can't defend this."
The government circles the wagons
Health Secretary Wes Streeting attempted damage control on Sunday, defending his colleague: "I don't think for a moment she would have meant or wanted to imply that raising these issues, talking about these issues, is dog whistle."
He added: "We all make mistakes" and the important thing is that "we own it".
Hmm. Convenient.
Calls for resignation growing louder
Meanwhile, Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp didn't mince words: "Anyone who has seen the shocking Channel 4 documentary will know that it is clearer than ever that this is not a 'dog whistle'. To dismiss thousands of victims who were raped and the cover up that followed is sickening. She should resign."
Tory MP Katie Lam had earlier issued her own call for Powell to step down.
A source close to Ms Powell insists she "deeply regrets" the comments and believes the matters are "incredibly serious and important." But for families like the Wests, who've lived through this nightmare firsthand, these belated expressions of regret ring hollow.
The Labour government is already facing criticism for rejecting a national inquiry in favor of local-level investigations. After watching that documentary (which left me in tears, by the way), I'm struggling to understand why they're so resistant to a comprehensive approach.
Some things transcend politics.
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