Lucy Powell dog whistle comments!

She claims her remarks were misunderstood! They sound perfectly plain.

Time for a meeting with Starmer.

Oh God she's really awful isn't she? It's really appalling hearing such utterances, and then some mealy mouthed retraction, my feelings are "no you said it, that's what you really think you're not taking these diabolical abuses anything like seriously enough"

She is just not very good.
I don't believe that people think the words 'dogwhistle' etc still work.

Well Galaxy I think it’s only some of the older generation who mainly use it and then only those who can’t come up with their own thoughts.

I heard her on “blackbeltbarrister”, she tried back tracking on her comments. Absolutely disgraceful. I bet Starmer is furious, silly woman. She needs to hand in her resignation pronto.

Seems typical of most of this Government. Wanting to protect their Muslim votes. Well to hell with that I say. All these children, young women deserve the best from any Government, they've been let down for years, by Labour councillors, the police, social workers, it is an utter disgrace that those involved have not faced trial. As one Labour MP disgustingly stated" all in the name of diversity". Well diversity has really benefitted these poor youngsters. NOT.

Well. I'm a member of the older generation and I had never heard the term 'dog whistle' used in a pejorative sense before. I now know, thanks to google what it means.
How uncouth. What an unpleasant women. She should go but of course she won't because she is only expressing the Labour party's beliefs about the Grooming gangs. Starmer only removes those who don't support his views.

Mt61

I heard her on “blackbeltbarrister”, she tried back tracking on her comments. Absolutely disgraceful. I bet Starmer is furious, silly woman. She needs to hand in her resignation pronto.

Yes he's very good , and absolutely horrified. But like Naz Shah, will get let off by Starmer.
Her saying sorry does not cut the mustard, and she should resign.

eazybee

Well. I'm a member of the older generation and I had never heard the term 'dog whistle' used in a pejorative sense before. I now know, thanks to google what it means.
How uncouth. What an unpleasant women. She should go but of course she won't because she is only expressing the Labour party's beliefs about the Grooming gangs. Starmer only removes those who don't support his views.

Not one I've come across either, until very recently. First termed in America by Richard Morin of the WP. Then used by a William Safire, who suggested political campainers used the term!!

Blue Labour knows what needs to resonate with the public, it's not the likes of Lucy Powell, but they keep digging the Lucy Powells, you really don't hear the palpable anger expressed by communities, the core base of Labour where the defections are down to people like her, unconnected and not listening. She really needs to go.

Yes Paul Embery has been a consistent voice for years now, I wish labour would listen to him.

I don’t know what was said but have just looked it up because I had no idea what dog whistle is supposed to mean. We have guests here and they didn’t know either.
Basically politics related, aimed at the majority of voters who Woukd understand while avoiding upset to the minority….who wouldn’t. Or something like that. Examples given are only some dogs can hear a high pitched whistle.

It basically means please stop talking because I don't have a coherent argument.

Starmer only removes those who don't support his views^ I agree eazybee so if she doesn't go .

I blame them both. Both using the issue as a political football serves no one, and that's been happening for some time.

I think all parties take the issue very very seriously indeed. No one wants less than the resources and will to act more effectively on abuse still continuing.

I'm not sure about Lucy Powell and what should happen. It was an angry retort to a political prod, but her reaction was definitely out of order.

It's not a matter of her resigning. Starmer should assert himself and sack her at once.

She is an idiot woman.

She is quite an aggressive person. She is a Starmer loyalist, though,so he is unlikely to sack her. She represents the constituency next door to ours but doesn't bother to campaign there because it is such a safe seat.

The first time I came across the term "dog whistle politics" was during one of the London mayor elections when Zac Goldsmith made a number of comments which his supporters would have understood as criticisms of Sadiq Khan as Muslim, without saying as much in plain speech.

I'm quite surprised that people didn't/don't understand it.

Wyllow3

I blame them both. Both using the issue as a political football serves no one, and that's been happening for some time.

I think all parties take the issue very very seriously indeed. No one wants less than the resources and will to act more effectively on abuse still continuing.

I'm not sure about Lucy Powell and what should happen. It was an angry retort to a political prod, but her reaction was definitely out of order.

I agree that it's been used as a political football (hopefully understand the term).

I had to clarify dog whistle by looking it up, but there are different definitions.

Growstuff's description of a speech or statement of making a number of comments which supporters would understood as provocative and critical but not saying as much in plain speech does fit the bill -

Powell spotted it as such but should have stuck to the issue not the provocation..

Wyllow3

I had to clarify dog whistle by looking it up, but there are different definitions.

Growstuff's description of a speech or statement of making a number of comments which supporters would understood as provocative and critical but not saying as much in plain speech does fit the bill -

Powell spotted it as such but should have stuck to the issue not the provocation..

Yes, she should and the way she expressed herself was inept. I don't think she actually meant "dog whistle" - she really should have explained herself better.

I expect she was thinking about the demos by Tommy Robinson and his ilk. More often than not, there is somebody holding up a placard about grooming gangs. They couldn't care less about the victims. Their issue is the ethnicity of the gangs and is a racist attack. There were a number of them just after the Southport riots, even though those murders had nothing to do with grooming.

No the phrase was used against gender critical feminists time and time again, it means shut up. It doesn't work and won't work this time.

I read it not as shut up but as "you're bring political footballs to provoke" but as I said a totally inept response in frustration.

I really think probably most of the public wouldn't have understood the phrase and its not "ignorance" but so out of date and only understood in the political arena.