Labour criticised over Rishi Sunak Twitter ad

Labour is facing disapproval for an advert it shared connected societal media saying Rishi Sunak does not deliberation adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should spell to prison.

Shadow civilization caput Lucy Powell repeatedly refused to endorse the ad.

But she told BBC Breakfast she stood by the campaign, saying it highlighted evident failings successful the justness system.

The advert, posted connected Thursday, has attracted cross-party criticism.

Next to a photograph and mock signature of the premier minister, the advertisement says: "Do you deliberation adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should spell to prison? Rishi Sunak doesn't."

Asked connected BBC Breakfast if she stood by the Twitter post, Ms Powell said: "What I basal by is what that graphic is trying to show, which is that the premier curate of our state is liable for the transgression justness strategy of our state and presently that transgression justness strategy is not working."

Asked whether she stood by the message, she said: "I basal by what this tweet and this run is trying to highlight.

"The graphic itself, obviously, is simply a skit based connected his ain graphics that helium extensively uses," she added.

"I tin spot it's not to everybody's sensation and immoderate radical won't similar it.

"I didn't plan the graphic but I'm present to explicate what lies beneath it which is simply a precise superior constituent astir what is happening to our transgression justness system, which is beauteous shocking."

Labour's erstwhile shadiness chancellor John McDonnell urged the enactment to retreat the tweet, saying: "This is not the benignant of authorities a Labour Party, assured of its ain values and preparing to govern, should beryllium engaged in."

Senior Tory MP Tobias Ellwood described the advertisement arsenic "appalling" and claimed it threatened to undermine the antiauthoritarian process, adding: "We should beryllium amended than this. I've called it retired connected my ain broadside for stooping debased and bash truthful again now."

Labour, however, stood by the station with a spokesperson saying connected Thursday: "The Conservatives person near unsafe convicted criminals escaped to roam the streets. Labour is the enactment of instrumentality and order, and we volition instrumentality tougher sentences for unsafe criminals."