Home Office minister accused of putting A66 joyriders 'on a par' with dead police officers in crash tribute - but claims local force told her to do so

A Home Office minister has been criticised by a top Tory after she paid tribute to the five dead 'joyriders' who killed two police officers on the A66.Anna Turley, the local Labour MP for South Bank, where the crash occurred, took to social media the next morning, sharing a photo of her laying flowers for the seven victims.The five dead youngsters died driving the wrong way down the A66 when they struck and killed PC Matthew Blades, 37, and PC Tom Clough, 38, who were travelling in a response vehicle.She wrote: 'This morning I went down to South Bank to lay flowers and pay my respects, on behalf of our whole community, to the seven people whose lives were so tragically cut short yesterday.'There really are no words for the heartbreak their families, friends and loved ones will be feeling today.'May you all rest in peace.'The Labour politician has now come under fire for the tribute, with a Conservative MP accusing her of putting the 'thugs' on a 'par' with the two police officers whose lives were tragically cut short.Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy said: 'Anna Turley is a Home Office minister.' Anna Turley posted in the aftermath of the crash that she wanted to pay her respects to all seven who had died in the crash in her constituency Ms Turley, a Home Office minister, has been criticised for seemingly putting the five 'joyriders' on 'a par' with the two dead officers in her immediate response Top Tory Nick Timothy criticised her post, sparking a furious war of words with Ms Turley 'She wants to 'pay her respects to the seven people whose lives were tragically cut short' in the Middlesbrough crash this weekend. I can't be the only one for whom this statement jars.'Two police officers - one an army veteran - were needlessly killed while on service. The five thugs who caused the crash - who killed PC Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades - also died.'These criminals, with many past offences between them, were driving illegally and irresponsibly the wrong way down an A road.'We don't want to speak ill of the dead, I understand that. But the tragedy is the loss of those two police officers. The five thugs who killed them were responsible not only for their own demise but for the deaths of two innocent men.'We may live in an age of emoting, but we should be able to see the difference between right and wrong.'And it doesn't feel right for a Home Office minister to put two police officers on a par with the thugs who killed them.'Ms Turley hit back in a furious letter to Mr Timothy, saying she was 'utterly appalled' by his criticism. Ms Turley sent a letter to Mr Timothy claiming that Cleveland Police had 'requested' that she pay tribute to all seven deadPC Matthew Blades (left) and PC Tom Clough (right) both died when their police vehical was struck by the Volkswagen Passat driving the wrong way down the A66The letter, seen by the Mail, doubled down that 'all [seven dead] were human beings with families who are grieving them'.'The fact that you have sought to create media hits and political points out of this horrendous event is beneath contempt.'She insisted that the identities of the five young men in the car that crashed into the police officers 'were not even public when I paid my respects' and claimed that Cleveland Police 'had specifically requested that I pay tribute to all victims in any message'.When approached by the Mail, Cleveland Police refused to confirm or deny that any directive had been issued to the local MP.Around 19 hours before Ms Turley posted her tribute to Facebook, Cleveland Police Chief Constable Victoria Fuller said her thoughts 'are with the families of everyone involved in today's incident'.Mr Timothy has now written back to Ms Turley, saying it 'would be an extraordinary thing for a police force to ask an MP to do'. The top Tory, who spent years working as an adviser in the Home Office for Theresa May, added: 'I have never known such a request to be made in my years working with the police.' He has asked her to provide written evidence to prove that her local force made a request about how she responded to the tragedy.Ms Turley was approached for comment. The row came as balaclava-clad youths sparked anger as they set off flares and fireworks in tribute to the five dead 'joyriders'.The chaotic scenes were filmed last night, and stood in stark contrast to a silent prayer vigil hosted in a nearby church to honour PC Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades.