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| Rotherham council holds inquiry after taking Ukip couple's foster children | Rotherham council holds inquiry after taking Ukip couple's foster children |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| An urgent review is under way at Rotherham borough council of the decision to remove three young children from their foster parents because the couple were UK Independence party members. | An urgent review is under way at Rotherham borough council of the decision to remove three young children from their foster parents because the couple were UK Independence party members. |
| Politicians of all parties waded into the row this weekend, before a byelection in the South Yorkshire town on Thursday, and attacked the decision which saw the children – from an "EU migrant background" – removed by social workers who accused the unnamed couple of belonging to a "racist party". | Politicians of all parties waded into the row this weekend, before a byelection in the South Yorkshire town on Thursday, and attacked the decision which saw the children – from an "EU migrant background" – removed by social workers who accused the unnamed couple of belonging to a "racist party". |
| Ukip's leader, Nigel Farage, responded furiously, calling it "a bloody outrage" and accusing Labour-run Rotherham of political bigotry. "Politically, I'm not surprised at all. This is typical of the bigotry we get from the Labour party and from Labour-controlled councils," he said. | Ukip's leader, Nigel Farage, responded furiously, calling it "a bloody outrage" and accusing Labour-run Rotherham of political bigotry. "Politically, I'm not surprised at all. This is typical of the bigotry we get from the Labour party and from Labour-controlled councils," he said. |
| David Cameron angered Ukip when he told LBC radio in 2006: "Ukip is sort of a bunch of … fruitcakes and loonies and closet racists mostly." | David Cameron angered Ukip when he told LBC radio in 2006: "Ukip is sort of a bunch of … fruitcakes and loonies and closet racists mostly." |
| Downing Street rejected reports that he had retracted this statement in light of the council's decision. A spokesman said: "The prime minister never said that every single member of Ukip is a racist and the point about adoption cases is parents need to be judged on their merits, not affiliation to a political party." | Downing Street rejected reports that he had retracted this statement in light of the council's decision. A spokesman said: "The prime minister never said that every single member of Ukip is a racist and the point about adoption cases is parents need to be judged on their merits, not affiliation to a political party." |
| The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, and the education secretary, Michael Gove, also condemned the action by the council, which on Saturday morning announced it was launching an immediate inquiry. | The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, and the education secretary, Michael Gove, also condemned the action by the council, which on Saturday morning announced it was launching an immediate inquiry. |
| Earlier this year, Rotherham was heavily criticised for failings in its child protection over revelations of sexual exploitation of girls by Asian men, and on Saturday Joyce Thacker, director of children's services, said this decision had been taken because her department had been attacked for not considering the cultural needs of children in care. "There was no issue over the quality of care," Thacker said, insisting the only problem with the couple was their Ukip membership and the party's stance on immigration. "We have to think about the clear statements on ending multiculturalism, for example," she said. | Earlier this year, Rotherham was heavily criticised for failings in its child protection over revelations of sexual exploitation of girls by Asian men, and on Saturday Joyce Thacker, director of children's services, said this decision had been taken because her department had been attacked for not considering the cultural needs of children in care. "There was no issue over the quality of care," Thacker said, insisting the only problem with the couple was their Ukip membership and the party's stance on immigration. "We have to think about the clear statements on ending multiculturalism, for example," she said. |
| "These children are from EU migrant backgrounds and Ukip has very clear statements on ending multiculturalism … and I have to think about how sensitive I am being to those children." | "These children are from EU migrant backgrounds and Ukip has very clear statements on ending multiculturalism … and I have to think about how sensitive I am being to those children." |
| The wife was quoted by the Daily Telegraph as saying she felt bereft: "We felt like criminals. From having a baby in my arms, suddenly there was an empty cot. I knew she wouldn't have been here for ever, but usually there is a build-up of several weeks. I was in tears." The children, a baby girl, a boy and an older girl, had begun calling the foster carers "mum" and "dad" after eight weeks with them. | The wife was quoted by the Daily Telegraph as saying she felt bereft: "We felt like criminals. From having a baby in my arms, suddenly there was an empty cot. I knew she wouldn't have been here for ever, but usually there is a build-up of several weeks. I was in tears." The children, a baby girl, a boy and an older girl, had begun calling the foster carers "mum" and "dad" after eight weeks with them. |
| The parents claim they were encouraging the children to use their native language and that they themselves were trying to learn it. | The parents claim they were encouraging the children to use their native language and that they themselves were trying to learn it. |
| David Cameron caused a row in 2006 when he labelled Ukip "closet racists" but this month a poll showed that 26% of Tories would "seriously consider" voting Ukip if there was a general election tomorrow. On Saturday Gove said social workers had made "the wrong decision in the wrong way for the wrong reasons". | David Cameron caused a row in 2006 when he labelled Ukip "closet racists" but this month a poll showed that 26% of Tories would "seriously consider" voting Ukip if there was a general election tomorrow. On Saturday Gove said social workers had made "the wrong decision in the wrong way for the wrong reasons". |
| "The ideology behind their decision is actively harmful to children. We should not allow considerations of ethnic or cultural background to prevent children being placed with loving and stable families. We need more parents to foster, and to adopt. Any council which decides that supporting a mainstream UK political party disbars an individual from looking after children in care is sending a dreadful signal that will only decrease the number of loving homes available." | "The ideology behind their decision is actively harmful to children. We should not allow considerations of ethnic or cultural background to prevent children being placed with loving and stable families. We need more parents to foster, and to adopt. Any council which decides that supporting a mainstream UK political party disbars an individual from looking after children in care is sending a dreadful signal that will only decrease the number of loving homes available." |
| Rotherham councillor Paul Lakin, Labour's cabinet member for children and families, said: "Membership of a political party should not stop someone fostering children. | Rotherham councillor Paul Lakin, Labour's cabinet member for children and families, said: "Membership of a political party should not stop someone fostering children. |
| "The council takes its safeguarding responsibilities very seriously and always puts the needs of the children at the centre of that care. I have ordered an immediate investigation to establish the full facts of this decision." | "The council takes its safeguarding responsibilities very seriously and always puts the needs of the children at the centre of that care. I have ordered an immediate investigation to establish the full facts of this decision." |
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