LABOUR have released a second “revolting” attack ad despite receiving heavy criticism across the political spectrum for the first.
The party posted the first attack ad claiming that Rishi Sunak does not think child sex abusers should go to prison Thursday afternoon.
The second advert posted to the Labour’s social media channels on Friday afternoon features the same picture of the Prime Minister smiling alongside the words “Do you think an adult convicted of possessing a gun with intent to harm should go to prison? Rishi Sunak doesn’t.”
It follows on to claim that under the Tories, 937 adults convicted of possession of a firearm with intent to harm served no prison time.
The party then pledges “Labour will lock up dangerous gunmen.”
SNP MP John Nicolson told The National that he had previously stood up for Labour leader Keir Starmer against false claims, but the party “seems to have no such vision” of honesty.
The SNP Shadow Culture Secretary said: “Labour’s new ad campaign is revolting. When Boris Johnson falsely claimed that Keir Starmer had failed to prosecute Savile I stood up for Keir Starmer. I tackled Tory ministers on Johnson’s lies and grotesque tactics.
“I believe that voters want to be inspired by a vision of honest and honourable government. But Labour’s leadership team seems to have no such vision. Their tactic now is to show that they can wallow in a sewer with the Tories. Voters deserve better.”
Political commentator and columnist for the Guardian, Owen Jones, tweeted that both Labour and the Tories are to blame for the tone of the “poisonous” campaign.
He said: “The next election is going to be absolutely disgusting, and both main political parties are to blame.”
The award-winning author known as The Secret Barrister tweeted that Labour had managed to “bungle it again” as there is not an offence entitled of “possession of a firearm with intent to harm”.
Judges and magistrates, rather than the prime minister of the day, are responsible for handing out sentences.
The party was accused of “cheapened and debased” politics and “stooping low” after posting the first advert on Twitter on Thursday.
Following the post, Labour MSPs called the ad campaign “ill-judged”.
The former Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard called for the first ad featuring the Prime Minister to be deleted.
It featured an image of Sunak smiling alongside the words: “Do you think adults convicted of sexually assaulting children should go to prison? Rishi Sunak doesn’t.”
Campaign group Compassion in Politics condemned Labour’s tactics.
Jennifer Nadel, the organisation’s co-director, said: “This kind of political discourse poisons the water that we all must drink from. It drives up hate and drags down standards.
“Sir Keir Starmer has rightly identified that the public want to see politicians act with respect, dignity, and decency. He can start by pulling this ad from circulation and issuing an immediate apology.”
On Friday morning, a shadow cabinet minister refused to endorse the ad.
Shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell declined to say she stood by the social media message, but insisted it was part of the “cut and thrust” of political debate which sought to highlight the Tories’ record on law and order.
On BBC Breakfast, Powell suggested it was a “skit” based on Sunak’s own promotional material as she declined to say she stood by the tweet.
She 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 again whether she stood by the message, she said: “I stand by what this tweet and this campaign is trying to highlight.”
She added: “The graphic itself, obviously, is a skit based on his own graphics that he extensively uses.”
