Labour's Wes Streeting has defended the party's recent controversial campaign attack ad on Rishi Sunak and vowed that there is "more to come" amid the major row engulfing Sir Keir Starmer’s party. Mr Streeting said he had to "assume" Mr Sunak did not believe in jailing child sex abusers based on the record of the Conservative government. The ad campaign has caused more voters to think negatively of Labour than a Tory poster accusing their leader of being soft on crime.
Labour MPs are expected to confront the leadership about the sex abuse attack ad at a showdown meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) tonight. Meanwhile, Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting has defended his party's campaign tactics despite criticism from both Conservatives and internal sources.
Sir Keir Starmer reportedly "fully supports" these advertisements while Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper distances herself from them. Critics within Labour have warned that this strategy may damage their standing in traditionally Conservative areas known as "blue wall" seats in southern England.
Brighton-based Labour MP expressed concern over potential backlash from using such ads, fearing they could ultimately harm their cause in some regions throughout Britain. However, Mr Streeting remains steadfast in defending these posters by claiming that they hold Prime Minister Boris Johnson accountable for his administration's track record of failures.
On the other hand, Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson and senior Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood strongly condemn this advertising method as appalling and argue it poses a threat to democratic processes overall.
Despite varying opinions within political circles regarding its effectiveness or appropriateness, one thing is clear: controversy surrounding this aggressive advertising approach shows no signs of slowing down any time soon with further ads promised by those who support it wholeheartedly within Labour leadership ranks.