Who is Lucy Powell? UK Labour MP under fire for her remarks on grooming gangs
Lucy Powell
, Labour's Leader of the House of Commons, is facing mounting pressure to resign following
controversial remarks
she made about
grooming gangs
during a BBC Radio 4 debate. Her comments, widely criticised by Conservative politicians and commentators, came in response to a question referencing a Channel 4 documentary, Groomed: A National Scandal, which detailed harrowing accounts from victims of sexual exploitation.
During the broadcast of Any Questions, Reform UK's Tim Montgomerie asked Powell if she had seen the documentary. Powell retorted, 'Oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now, do we? Let's get that dog whistle out, shall we?' Her use of the term 'dog whistle' triggered a backlash, with opponents accusing her of belittling the suffering of thousands of victims.
Powell has since sought to clarify her remarks, insisting that she was criticising
political point-scoring
on the issue, not the seriousness of child grooming itself.
'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.
Senior Conservatives, however, were not satisfied with the explanation. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp called Powell's remarks a 'shocking outburst' and said they 'belittle the thousands of girls and women who were raped by grooming gangs.' Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said her words were a 'disgusting betrayal of the victims,' while Reform UK said Powell's comments showed Labour was 'out of touch.
'
Despite the backlash, the Prime Minister's Office is understood to have accepted Powell's apology, and she remains in her Cabinet post for now. Fellow
Labour MP
Wes Streeting defended her, saying Powell was 'mortified' and that the comments had come 'in the heat of debate'.
Who is Lucy Powell?
Lucy Powell is the Labour MP for Manchester Central, first elected in 2012.
She currently serves as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council in Keir Starmer's government.
Powell has previously held several shadow cabinet roles, including in education, business, and digital policy.
Known for championing working-class communities and promoting investment in Manchester.
As Leader of the House, she manages the government's legislative agenda and liaises with Parliament.
She has led efforts to modernise Parliament and improve working conditions for MPs and staff.
Powell has secured funding for local priorities, including healthcare, housing, and public safety.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
'Worst in the world...': Poilievre slams 'same Liberal gang' over performance audits, F-35 handling
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre slammed the Canadian Liberal government under PM Mark Carney over service contracts awarded to GC Strategies, the company behind the controversial ArriveCan app.
Mint
6 hours ago
- Mint
‘Donald Trump administration may restore funding to Harvard University if...,' says Education Secretary McMahon
Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated that Harvard and other universities might have their federal funding, previously reduced by the Trump administration, reinstated if they revise their current policies, Bloomberg reported. 'It would be my goal that if colleges and universities are abiding by the laws of the United States and doing what we expect of them, that they can expect taxpayer-funded programs,' the secretary said at a Bloomberg News event on Tuesday. McMahon said the administration was 'making progress in some of the discussions' with Harvard, despite ongoing legal fights, according to a report by Bloomberg. The secretary said federal funds have a role to play in academic research. 'I think if we look at our research as for the public good, which I think is intended, then taxpayers are willing to see their tax dollars to support that kind of really good research. And so I'm sure that would continue at the university level,' she said. US President Donald Trump has halted over $2.6 billion in federal research funding to Harvard University—the nation's oldest and wealthiest institution—and is seeking to terminate its federal contracts. The administration frames these measures as part of a broader initiative to eliminate antisemitism on college campuses. Harvard has taken its fight to court with two lawsuits against the administration, challenging both the loss of federal funding and a decision by the Department of Homeland Security to revoke its license to admit international students. The administration requested that the university provide records detailing misconduct by international students on campus, but claims the institution has not provided sufficient information. Meanwhile, a judge has temporarily halted the government's attempt to ban the university's foreign students and researchers from entering the US, with another hearing scheduled for June 16. The secretary said consent decrees have been floated as a tool to resolve the administration's concerns with universities, referencing a binding legal agreement that could put schools under observation by a court-ordered monitor. Trump has routinely singled out Harvard since taking office, taking aim at its perceived left-leaning biases and its hiring and admissions practices. He has mused that its federal funding should be funneled to trade schools and calling for its tax-exempt status to be taken away. Trump recently said that Massachusetts-based schools were 'starting to behave.' A group of 18 colleges backed Harvard's case against the government over federal research dollars, arguing that the terminations 'inflict grievous harm' on universities. Harvard has rejected demands from the administration to implement 'viewpoint diversity' on campus in its hiring and admissions practices. Conservatives have long argued that elite campuses don't foster environments where their perspectives are represented or welcome. It would be my goal that if colleges and universities are abiding by the laws of the United States and doing what we expect of them, that they can expect taxpayer-funded programs. Columbia University, which has lost approximately $400 million in federal funding, notably refrained from joining the 'friend of the court' brief. Additionally, its accreditation has come under threat after the administration informed the university's accreditor that Columbia was found to be in violation of Title IX regulations. (With inputs from Bloomberg)
The Hindu
15 hours ago
- The Hindu
U.K., and four other allies sanction Israeli Ministers Ben-Gvir, Smotrich
The U.K, along with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, has sanctioned two Israeli Government Ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich on Tuesday, 'for inciting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank'. While the move was focused on the West Bank, a joint statement from the countries said it could not be viewed in isolation from the 'catastrophe' in Gaza. 'There must be no unlawful transfer of Palestinians from Gaza or within the West Bank, nor any reduction in the territory of the Gaza Strip, the statement said. With regard to the U.K. both Ministers will immediately be subject to an asset freeze, travel ban and be disqualified from the directorship, management, formation or promotion of a British company. Also read | Western countries condemn expansion of Israeli operations in Gaza The move comes as pressure mounts on the government of U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer change tack and adopt a stronger position against Israel's actions, particularly its military operations in Gaza and restrictions on humanitarian aid reaching the strip. Last month the U.K. announced sanctions against certain Israeli settlers in the West Bank and the suspension of trade talks with Tel Aviv. Last week, former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn led a group of MPs in introducing a bill in the U.K. Parliament calling for an independent inquiry into the U.K. government's role in the Israel-Gaza conflict since October 2023. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said the Israeli government had been 'informed' of U.K.'s decision to sanction its ministers . Mr Sa'ar said it was 'outrageous' that elected representatives could be subject to these kind of actions and that a special meeting would be held early next week to decide on a response to the sanctions. The sanctioning countries emphasized that the move did not undermine their 'unwavering' commitment to Israel's security and their condemnation of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas. The actions of Mr Smotrich and Mr Ben-Gvir had undermined Israel's security, the statement said, adding that the sanctioning countries continued to want a 'strong friendship' with the people of Israel.
