Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has defended the party's anti-Sunak attack ad, which was released a week ago, claiming that Rishi Sunak does not believe adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should be sent to prison. When asked why she had not retweeted the adverts and questioned on the overall tone of the advertising campaign, Rayner explained that it was meant to highlight the government's failure to tackle serious crime and their tendency to let criminals off the hook.
Rayner claimed she had not shared the graphic since it was posted last week because she had been spending Easter with family, and denied abstaining from sharing due personal reservations. Labour leader Keir Starmer defended the advert in a piece for The Daily Mail over the weekend, stating he would "stand by every word Labour has said on this subject" and added that he would continue to use Conservatives' record on crime as legitimate criticism.
Despite defending its content, several prominent members within the party have criticized Labour's new attack strategy as well as their declining poll lead over Tories. Among them is MP John McDonnell who expressed his concerns about engaging in such politics: "This is not what a Labour Party should be engaged in," says former shadow chancellor John McDonnell.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also distanced herself from it by stating she wasn't consulted about any advertisement decisions. Likewise, Lloyd Russell-Moyle warned against potential backlash from these ads saying they could backfire and “harm” certain areas throughout England where support might waver due negative perceptions regarding these tactics.
In related news concerning political interviews online conservative forums will host one between ConservativeHome editor Paul Goodman and US president Joe Biden shortly after recent events unfolded around controversial advertisements aimed at opponents; both are expected answer questions posed by readers during this live discussion session