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Jeremy Corbyn: Wrong to blame 'entire community' for abuse | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Jeremy Corbyn has said it is wrong to blame "an entire ethnic community" for child abuse after one of his frontbench team quit over a press article. | |
Sarah Champion faced a backlash after writing in the Sun that "Britain has a problem with British Pakistani men raping and exploiting white girls". | |
The Rotherham MP quit as shadow equalities minister and apologised for her "extremely poor choice of words". | |
The Labour leader denied claims he had sacked Ms Champion for speaking out. | |
He told BBC Manchester: "Child exploitation is wrong. Child abuse is wrong. It is a crime, and it has to be dealt with. | |
"But you cannot blame an entire community, an entire nation or an entire ethnic community. You have to deal with it for the crime of what it is." | |
Asked if he had sacked Ms Champion over her comments, he said: "Look, she resigned and I accepted the resignation, so, clearly, I think it's right thing to do and I thank her for her work." | |
Communities Secretary Sajid Javid accused Mr Corbyn of stifling debate. | |
The Conservative minister said in a tweet: "Corbyn wrong to sack Sarah Champion. We need an honest open debate on child sexual exploitation, including racial motivation." | |
Conservative former Children's Minister Tim Loughton said he did not know if Ms Champion had been sacked or not - but he accused Mr Corbyn of being "deaf to a problem that is happening in our country". | |
The Equality and Human Rights Commission said it was a "real shame" that Ms Champion had resigned because of "over-sensitivity about language". | The Equality and Human Rights Commission said it was a "real shame" that Ms Champion had resigned because of "over-sensitivity about language". |
Labour's shadow justice minister, Yasmin Qureshi, refused to be drawn on whether it was right that Ms Champion had stepped down. | |
"I think you need to ask Sarah that question," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "I think you need to ask Sarah that question," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
"Of course we should deal with abuse wherever it occurs and we should ask ourselves as to what we can do to ensure these things don't happen." | "Of course we should deal with abuse wherever it occurs and we should ask ourselves as to what we can do to ensure these things don't happen." |
Ms Champion's article was written after 17 men were convicted of forcing girls in Newcastle to have sex. | Ms Champion's article was written after 17 men were convicted of forcing girls in Newcastle to have sex. |
The men, who were mostly British-born, were of Iraqi, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian, Iranian and Turkish heritage. | |
In interviews following the convictions, the Labour MP said such crimes involved "predominately Pakistani men" and a fear of being called racist was hampering the authorities' investigations. | |
She then wrote the Sun article, which also included the line: "These people are predators, and the common denominator is their ethnic heritage." | |
Among the article's critics was fellow Labour MP Naz Shah, who said it was "irresponsible" and "setting a dangerous precedent". | Among the article's critics was fellow Labour MP Naz Shah, who said it was "irresponsible" and "setting a dangerous precedent". |
Following the backlash, Ms Champion sought to distance herself from the article, claiming it had been altered, something denied by the newspaper. | Following the backlash, Ms Champion sought to distance herself from the article, claiming it had been altered, something denied by the newspaper. |
Announcing she was stepping down, Ms Champion said: "I apologise for the offence caused by the extremely poor choice of words in the Sun article on Friday. | Announcing she was stepping down, Ms Champion said: "I apologise for the offence caused by the extremely poor choice of words in the Sun article on Friday. |
"I am concerned that my continued position in the shadow cabinet would distract from the crucial issues around child protection which I have campaigned on my entire political career. | "I am concerned that my continued position in the shadow cabinet would distract from the crucial issues around child protection which I have campaigned on my entire political career. |
"It is therefore with regret that I tender my resignation as shadow secretary of state for women and equalities." | "It is therefore with regret that I tender my resignation as shadow secretary of state for women and equalities." |