Despite Conservative criticism of Labour’s handling of the child grooming scandal, resurfaced footage has shown ex-Tory leaders had a somewhat perverse view of the issue during their time in government.
Boris Johnson declared that money spent on child abuse investigations was “spaffed up a wall” during an LBC radio phone-in from 2019, shortly before he took over from Theresa May as PM.
He said: “And one comment I would make is I think an awful lot of money and an awful lot of police time now goes into these historic offences and all this malarkey.
“You know, £60 million I saw was being spaffed up a wall on some investigation into historic child abuse and all this kind of thing. What on earth is that going to do to protect the public now?”
Louise Haigh,the former shadow policing minister, said Johnson’s remarks were insulting to survivors of abuse.
“Could you look the victims in the eye and tell them investigating and bringing to justice those who abused them, as children, is a waste of money?” she asked at the time.
Watch the clip in full below:
Related: Andrew Tate launches ‘Bruv Party’