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Labour MP branded 'insensitive, insulting and disgusting' after dismissing grooming gangs scandal as 'dog-whistle'
4 May 2025, 18:10 | Updated: 5 May 2025, 09:43
A Labour MP who dismissed grooming gangs as a "dog whistle" has been branded "insensitive, insulting, callous and disgusting" by a former detective who exposed the poor handling of a Rochdale abuse ring.
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Labour’s Lucy Powell came under scrutiny after accusing Reform UK member Tim Montgomerie of speaking about the grooming gang’s scandal as a “dog whistle.”
The pair where speaking on the radio when Ms Powell was pressed on the government’s handling of the scandal.
Responding to Mr Montgomerie, "Oh we want to blow that little trumpet now do we", adding: "Let's get that dog whistle out shall we".
Her comments sparked outrage, with many criticising her for minimising child sexual abuse.
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Now, Maggie Oliver, a former detective who blew the whistle on the handling of grooming gangs in Rochdale, has told LBC Ms Powell’s comments are "insensitive, insulting, callous and disgusting."
Speaking to LBC’s Ali Miraj, Ms Oliver said: “I think what she said was insensitive, insulting, callous and disgusting, really disgusting.
“But I think, talking about her resigning or not, for me is a deflection from the real issues here.
“I think it shows the attitudes she's verbalised, the attitudes that I've witnessed and been centrally involved in for 20 years.
“That is the attitude of successive governments, many politicians to generations of children who have actually had their lives destroyed, and nobody has taken any action.”
She added: “So Lucy Powell is the latest for me in a long line of politicians who are unfit for office.
“You know, Rishi Sunak, Suella Braverman, Priti Patel, you know, the list is endless and all of them talk the talk. Nobody does any action.”
“I want to see action and change. I'm glad that she said this in a way, because it's brought the spotlight back on the failures of the government, as you know.
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“You probably know, in January, after Elon Musk tweeted, Keir Starmer went on TV and said that the victims are survivors and people like me who were shouting about these failures were all far-right extremists.
“Well, we're not. people like Lucy Powell and Keir Starmer who were saying that they are disgusting and they shouldn't be in office because they are responsible for protecting children, for holding those who are raping children to account. And I don't see any evidence of them doing anything to put this right.”
A major inquiry in 2022 found tens of thousands of child victims had been abused over decades, as well as identifying institutional failings across England and Wales. Many of the abusers were of Pakistani origin.The seven-year probe made 20 recommendations, as it described child sexual abuse as an "epidemic" across the two nations.
The grooming gangs scandal has been known about for over a decade, but was brought back into the mainstream earlier this year when Elon Musk turned his attention to the issue.
Apologising for her comments later on social media, Ms Powell said: "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 dealt with horrendous cases. This Gvt is acting to get to the truth, and deliver justice."
Reform UK member Tim Montgomerie asked Powell if she had seen a recent Channel 4 documentary on grooming gangs.
Powell responded "oh, we want to blow that little trumpet now do we" and "let's get that dog whistle out shall we".
The government has promised five local inquiries into grooming gangs.
Speaking to LBC, the health secretary said Ms Powell was right to apologise for her comments.
Wes Streeting said: "She is mortified if people think that what she was saying was in any way delegitimising the experiences of victims and what they've been through. And she's issued a genuine apology.
"I was in touch with Lucy last night. I know how bad she feels about it and all I'd say is, you know, I'm not going to defend Lucy's comments. She wouldn't defend them either."
He added: "I have been in those debate formats before and there are times, because we're all human, where after the event, we think, 'I wish I hadn't said that', or 'that came across completely the opposite of what I intended'.
"So I just say, you know, we all make mistakes. It's right that she's apologised."
