The Tories have attempted to turn the tables on Keir Starmer by suggesting he is to blame for child sex offenders avoiding prison.
A new advert has been emailed out by the Conservative Party which targets Starmer’s time as Director of Public Prosecutions [DPP].
In the email, Tory party chairman Greg Hands hits out at Starmer for attending 21 meetings when it was decided “not all child sex offenders should go to prison”.
A Labour source hit back saying the Tories had no one to blame but themselves for their “pathetic record in government”.
“No amount of excuses or pretending it is everyone else’s fault will change that,” the source said.
It comes after Labour sparked fury with a controversial advert accusing prime minister Rishi Sunak of not supporting the jailing of child sex offenders.
Now it seems the Tories have decided to fight fire with fire by unleashing their latest attack on the Labour leader.
Their new advert features an image of Starmer and his shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry, who had criticised him 11 years ago over the rape prosecution rate.
In the email, Hands claims Starmer has a “soft spot” for criminals, adding: “He’s the same man that saw convictions for sex offences plummet.”
The MP for Chelsea and Fulham went on: “He’s the same man who attended 21 meetings, where they decided not all child sex offenders should go to prison.”
It follows reports that in his role as DPP, Starmer attended 21 of 23 meetings at which the Sentencing Council formulated new guidelines relating to 50 different sex offences.
The council agreed child sex abusers should not get an automatic prison sentence, although a maximum of 14 years in custody was set. Those sentencing guidelines remain to this day.
Last year, HuffPost UK reported claims by one Tory MP that Conservative campaign headquarters were stockpiling stories on Starmer’s time as DPP.
A Labour insider told HuffPost UK: “It’s a far cry from when Keir left office in 2013 and the Tories were falling over themselves to say what a terrible loss it would be.
“All that’s changed since then is that the whole country can see the mess they’ve made of criminal justice. Next week, they’ll have a chance to vote on it.”