Labour's Sarah Champion Quits Shadow Cabinet After Claiming UK Has A 'Problem' With Pakistani Rapists
17 August 2017The Rotherham MP made
the comments in The Sun.
Labour's Sarah Champion has resigned from the Shadow Cabinet after writing an
article claiming "Britain has a problem with British Pakistani men raping and
exploiting white girls."
The Shadow Women and Equalities Minister made the comments in The Sun last
Friday, as part of an article arguing "the race of these abusers" was being
ignored in discussions around how to tackle child sexual exploitation.
Her comments provoked a backlash, with fellow Labour MP Naz Shah calling for
an end to "incendiary headlines which demonise whole communities."
Champion initially claimed the tabloid had edited the article, but in a
statement announced her resignation appeared to confirm she was responsible
for the words.
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. It is
therefore with regret that I tender my resignation as Shadow Secretary of
State for Women and Equalities."
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "I have accepted Sarah Champion's
resignation and thank her for her work in the Shadow Cabinet. I look forward
to working together in future."
The article opened with the words: "Britain has a problem with British
Pakistani men raping and exploiting white girls. There. I said it. Does that
make me a racist? Or am I just prepared to call out this horrifying problem
for what it is?"
As the backlash against article grew, Champion claimed the opening paragraph
had been edited by The Sun, and "stripped of any nuance about the complex
issue of grooming gangs, which have exploited thousands in my constituency".
She added: "The article should not have gone out in my name and I apologise
that it did."
The Guido Fawkes blog subsequently published an email sent from her personal
assistant to The Sun after the article was printed, which raised no concerns
over the content or phrasing at all.
The email read: "She is absolutely thrilled with it – just gone to get some
hard copies. However, she is mortified that you've used such an ancient
picture of her – it is about five years old! I sent some newer ones last
summer to the picture desk and am attaching them again here. Please can you
send them on to the relevant person. Thanks, x"
A spokesperson for The Sun told The Guardian: "Sarah Champion's column, as it
appeared on Friday, was approved by her team and her adviser twice contacted
us thereafter to say she was 'thrilled' with the piece and it 'looked great'.
"Indeed, her only objection after the article appeared was her belief that her
picture byline looked unflattering. Her office submitted five new pictures for
further use."
Champion was the first of the Labour frontbenchers to return to Corbyn's top
team after the mass resignations failed to remove him as leader last summer.
She has been a high-profile campaigner against child sexual exploitation, and
in 2014 worked with Barnardo's to produce a report investigating the
effectiveness of the law in keeping youngsters safe.
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