Labour's Lucy Powell refuses to back claim in Sunak attack ad

A Labour shadow minister has refused to back a claim in a party attack advert which said Rishi Sunak does not think adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should go to prison.

Shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell repeatedly refused to endorse the ad.

But she told BBC Breakfast she stood by the campaign, saying it highlighted apparent failings in the justice system.

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

Next to a photo and mock signature of the prime minister, the ad says: "Do you think adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should go to prison? Rishi Sunak doesn't."

Asked on BBC Breakfast if she stood by the Twitter post, Ms Powell said: "What I stand by is what that graphic is trying to show, which is that the prime minister of our country is responsible for the criminal justice system of our country and currently that criminal justice system is not working."

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

"The graphic itself, obviously, is a skit based on his own graphics that he extensively uses," she added, in an at times fiery exchange.

"I can see it's not to everybody's taste and some people won't like it.

"I didn't design the graphic but I'm here to explain what lies beneath it which is a very serious point about what is happening to our criminal justice system, which is pretty shocking."

Labour's former shadow chancellor John McDonnell urged the party to withdraw the tweet, saying: "This is not the sort of politics a Labour Party, confident of its own values and preparing to govern, should be engaged in."

Senior Tory MP Tobias Ellwood described the ad as "appalling" and claimed it threatened to undermine the democratic process, adding: "We should be better than this. I've called it out on my own side for stooping low and do so again now."

Scottish National Party MP John Nicolson said the post was "nauseating" and that it "cheapened and debased" politics.

Labour, however, stood by the post with a spokesperson saying on Thursday: "The Conservatives have left dangerous convicted criminals free to roam the streets. Labour is the party of law and order, and we will implement tougher sentences for dangerous criminals."