Labour minister sorry for ‘dog-whistle' remark over grooming film
A cabinet minister has been forced to apologise after suggesting that people who raised concerns about grooming gangs were engaged in 'dog whistle' politics.
The Conservatives called for Lucy Powell, the leader of the House of Commons, to resign after she appeared to dismiss the victims of sexual abuse during a BBC debate.
Powell interrupted Tim Montgomerie, the political commentator and Reform UK supporter, when he raised a recent documentary about women who had been groomed and abused by gangs during an edition of BBC Radio 4's Any Questions.
• Groomed: A National Scandal review — enraging, harrowing stories
'Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Let's get that dog whistle out, shall we?' she said.Powell later apologised, saying
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
23 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Tories call for information watchdog to probe Reform UK's data requests
Nigel Farage's political party has requested a broad swathe of information from the councils it now controls across England, as it begins an initiative to drive down local public spending based on the US's Department of Government Efficiency, also known as Doge. But shadow communities secretary Kevin Hollinrake warned that handing the data to Reform is a 'cyber-security disaster waiting to happen' as he wrote to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) calling for an investigation. Data about the identities of whistleblowers, the names and addresses of people who receive meals on wheels, and the amount of cash foster carers receive could be revealed and put at risk in the broad package Reform has requested, the Tories claimed. In a letter to the ICO seen by the PA news agency, the Conservatives also questioned who would be handling the data on behalf of Reform UK, which has said it will use a 'unit of software engineers, data analysts and forensic auditors' to analyse the information. In the letter, Mr Hollinrake said: 'I believe that the scale of such unauthorised data transfers across local government is a cyber-security disaster waiting to happen. 'There is a strong public interest in the Information Commissioner taking pro-active steps to investigate and, if necessary, issue enforcement notices against the public authorities and Reform UK Ltd. 'I also suspect that council staff would welcome the support of the Information Commissioner, given the clear threats to sack them if they sound the alarm on breaches of the law. 'It is also not in the financial interests of local taxpayers for their council to be exposed to the liability of fines for breaching the law.' The Conservatives suggested there was a 'lack of legal basis' for Reform's data requests. Kent County Council, which is now controlled by Reform after the May elections, is the first local authority where the party is rolling out its Doge plans. In a letter to the council signed by Mr Farage, Reform's head of Doge Zia Yusuf and its new council leader Linden Kemkaran, the party said its team of analysts was 'bound by data protection obligations and professional standards'. Wow. The failed Tory party, fighting for its existence, has written to the ICO to try to block Reform's DOGE. They are desperate to cover up the corruption and waste of their now deposed local government regimes. It will not work. Just as they plundered hundreds of… — Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) June 12, 2025 It also warned: 'Should you resist this request, we are ready to pass a council motion to compel the same and will consider any obstruction to be gross misconduct. We trust this will not be required.' Reform won control of 10 councils in the May elections, which also include County Durham, Derbyshire, Doncaster, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, North Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, and West Northamptonshire. The party also won the inaugural regional mayoral contests in Greater Lincolnshire, and Hull and East Yorkshire, and has minority control of several councils. Arron Banks – one of Reform UK's leaders on the Doge initiative – was also singled out by the Conservatives in their letter, which pointed to the £120,000 fine his company Eldon Insurance and the campaign received from the ICO over data breaches in 2019. Mr Banks lost an appeal against the data breach in 2021. Reform's head of Doge Mr Yusuf claimed the Conservatives 'were desperate to cover up the corruption and waste of their now deposed local government regimes'. He added: 'It will not work. 'Just as they plundered hundreds of millions from the British taxpayers during Covid, they have done the same at councils. 'Reform councillors were voted in to expose it, and with the help of Reform's Doge team, they will do just that.'
South Wales Guardian
38 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
King Charles: 'Desperately shocked' by Air India crash
Air India has confirmed that 169 passengers are Indian nationals, 53 are British, one is Canadian, and seven are Portuguese. The flight was departing from Ahmedabad airport, and the plane was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Gatwick Airport confirmed the plane travelling from Ahmedabad Airport was due to land at 6.25pm UK time. A message from His Majesty The King following this morning's tragic incident in Ahmedabad. In a post on X, the Royal Family said: "My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning. "Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they wait for news of their loved ones. "I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency service and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time." Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously shared a statement: "The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating. 'I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time.' Recommended Reading Prime Minister's 'thoughts' are with the passengers on crashed Air India flight Flight to London Gatwick from India crashes with 244 people on board 53 British nationals were on board crashed Air India flight bound for Gatwick The Government previously said it would provide 'all the support that it can' to those on the Air India flight bound for Gatwick Airport, which crashed shortly after take off, Commons Leader Lucy Powell said. In a statement on X, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: 'The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. 'In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.'
Rhyl Journal
38 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Tories call for information watchdog to probe Reform UK's data requests
Nigel Farage's political party has requested a broad swathe of information from the councils it now controls across England, as it begins an initiative to drive down local public spending based on the US's Department of Government Efficiency, also known as Doge. But shadow communities secretary Kevin Hollinrake warned that handing the data to Reform is a 'cyber-security disaster waiting to happen' as he wrote to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) calling for an investigation. Data about the identities of whistleblowers, the names and addresses of people who receive meals on wheels, and the amount of cash foster carers receive could be revealed and put at risk in the broad package Reform has requested, the Tories claimed. In a letter to the ICO seen by the PA news agency, the Conservatives also questioned who would be handling the data on behalf of Reform UK, which has said it will use a 'unit of software engineers, data analysts and forensic auditors' to analyse the information. In the letter, Mr Hollinrake said: 'I believe that the scale of such unauthorised data transfers across local government is a cyber-security disaster waiting to happen. 'There is a strong public interest in the Information Commissioner taking pro-active steps to investigate and, if necessary, issue enforcement notices against the public authorities and Reform UK Ltd. 'I also suspect that council staff would welcome the support of the Information Commissioner, given the clear threats to sack them if they sound the alarm on breaches of the law. 'It is also not in the financial interests of local taxpayers for their council to be exposed to the liability of fines for breaching the law.' The Conservatives suggested there was a 'lack of legal basis' for Reform's data requests. Kent County Council, which is now controlled by Reform after the May elections, is the first local authority where the party is rolling out its Doge plans. In a letter to the council signed by Mr Farage, Reform's head of Doge Zia Yusuf and its new council leader Linden Kemkaran, the party said its team of analysts was 'bound by data protection obligations and professional standards'. Wow. The failed Tory party, fighting for its existence, has written to the ICO to try to block Reform's DOGE. They are desperate to cover up the corruption and waste of their now deposed local government regimes. It will not work. Just as they plundered hundreds of… — Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) June 12, 2025 It also warned: 'Should you resist this request, we are ready to pass a council motion to compel the same and will consider any obstruction to be gross misconduct. We trust this will not be required.' Reform won control of 10 councils in the May elections, which also include County Durham, Derbyshire, Doncaster, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, North Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, and West Northamptonshire. The party also won the inaugural regional mayoral contests in Greater Lincolnshire, and Hull and East Yorkshire, and has minority control of several councils. Arron Banks – one of Reform UK's leaders on the Doge initiative – was also singled out by the Conservatives in their letter, which pointed to the £120,000 fine his company Eldon Insurance and the campaign received from the ICO over data breaches in 2019. Mr Banks lost an appeal against the data breach in 2021. Reform's head of Doge Mr Yusuf claimed the Conservatives 'were desperate to cover up the corruption and waste of their now deposed local government regimes'. He added: 'It will not work. 'Just as they plundered hundreds of millions from the British taxpayers during Covid, they have done the same at councils. 'Reform councillors were voted in to expose it, and with the help of Reform's Doge team, they will do just that.'
