"We were having a civil and respectful exchange, until that moment. His words took me aback, and I was honestly too stunned to respond in the moment. It felt like the air had been sucked out of the conversation. Since sharing this last night, I have had victims reach out to me directly. Their voices, their pain, and their courage confirm what I knew deep down: speaking out was the right thing to do. This isn't about point-scoring or politics, it's about people's safety, dignity, and lived experiences. And no-one should ever feel silenced when those values are dismissed so casually."
"With regard to the topic discussed, let me be absolutely clear: vile perpetrators of sexual abuse must face the full force of the law, and we must all continue to fight for victims of such abhorrent crimes to get the justice they deserve."
"A formal complaint has been received by the council in relation to this and we are now considering its contents."
Dennis Jones, Peterborough Labour leader and Dogsthorpe ward councillor, referred to grooming gang victims as "poor white trash from Rotherham" in a private exchange. Jones resigned from the Labour Party and has apologised wholeheartedly for the language. Independent councillor Daisy Blakemore-Creedon shared a screenshot of the exchange and described the comment as stunning and silencing. Several victims contacted Blakemore-Creedon after the screenshot was published. Peterborough City Council confirmed a formal complaint has been received and said it is considering the complaint's contents. Jones affirmed that perpetrators must face the full force of the law.
Read at www.bbc.com
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