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| Rotherham child abuse: Shaun Wright clings on as calls for him to resign grow | Rotherham child abuse: Shaun Wright clings on as calls for him to resign grow |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The home secretary is being urged to launch a police investigation into South Yorkshire's beleaguered crime commissioner Shaun Wright over the Rotherham child abuse scandal as a way of removing him from office, after the chairman of the local police and crime panel conceded that Wright's position had become "untenable". | The home secretary is being urged to launch a police investigation into South Yorkshire's beleaguered crime commissioner Shaun Wright over the Rotherham child abuse scandal as a way of removing him from office, after the chairman of the local police and crime panel conceded that Wright's position had become "untenable". |
| Shaun Wright, who as the cabinet member responsible for child services at Rotherham was repeatedly warned of widespread abuse in the area but failed to act, resigned from the Labour party on Wednesday night after the party threatened to suspend him. But he has refused to stand down as South Yorkshire's police and crime commissioner despite calls from senior politicians of all parties for him to resign. | Shaun Wright, who as the cabinet member responsible for child services at Rotherham was repeatedly warned of widespread abuse in the area but failed to act, resigned from the Labour party on Wednesday night after the party threatened to suspend him. But he has refused to stand down as South Yorkshire's police and crime commissioner despite calls from senior politicians of all parties for him to resign. |
| Harry Harpham, chairman of South Yorkshire's police and crime panel, confirmed that his organisation was powerless to remove Wright, but that he was seeking a meeting with Wright to urge him to go. | Harry Harpham, chairman of South Yorkshire's police and crime panel, confirmed that his organisation was powerless to remove Wright, but that he was seeking a meeting with Wright to urge him to go. |
| "He can only be removed from office by resigning unless he commits a criminal offence," Harpham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | |
| He added: "We are not able to remove him, however, I will seek an urgent meeting with Shaun to let him know my position." | He added: "We are not able to remove him, however, I will seek an urgent meeting with Shaun to let him know my position." |
| Labour backbencher John Mann said Wright should be charged with misconduct in public office and said he was writing to the police and home secretary to launch an investigation into Wright and other councillors and officers at Rotherham at the time. | Labour backbencher John Mann said Wright should be charged with misconduct in public office and said he was writing to the police and home secretary to launch an investigation into Wright and other councillors and officers at Rotherham at the time. |
| Announcing the move on Twitter, Mann said: "Letter going early morning asking Home Secretary to refer my complaint of misconduct in public office (re Rotherham) to another police force." | Announcing the move on Twitter, Mann said: "Letter going early morning asking Home Secretary to refer my complaint of misconduct in public office (re Rotherham) to another police force." |
| He added: "The law is clear: Sean [sic] Wright and others can be charged with misconduct in public office." | He added: "The law is clear: Sean [sic] Wright and others can be charged with misconduct in public office." |
| Explaining the move on Sky News, Mann said: "There are no powers to get rid of him [Wright] unless he is charged. If he is charged with misconduct then he can be sacked. It is absurd that the people of South Yorkshire, who would probably, to a man and woman, get rid of him tomorrow, today, yesterday, can't do so. It's an offence to democracy, nobody wants him in the job." | Explaining the move on Sky News, Mann said: "There are no powers to get rid of him [Wright] unless he is charged. If he is charged with misconduct then he can be sacked. It is absurd that the people of South Yorkshire, who would probably, to a man and woman, get rid of him tomorrow, today, yesterday, can't do so. It's an offence to democracy, nobody wants him in the job." |
| Keir Starmer, former director of public prosecutions who now advises Labour on justice policy, added to calls for Wright to go. "Where there's a failure of leadership people ought to go," he told Today. But he added: "We are mistaken if we think this is all about a few individuals … there is a cultural issue in relation to vulnerable victims that they are not believed." | |
| In a statement on Wednesday night Wright said he took full responsibility for his part in "the collective failures which took place" and had already done so when he resigned from the council in 2010. | In a statement on Wednesday night Wright said he took full responsibility for his part in "the collective failures which took place" and had already done so when he resigned from the council in 2010. |
| But he insisted that he has "taken that experience to deliver a major transformation in the way South Yorkshire police deals with horrific crimes such as child sexual exploitation". | But he insisted that he has "taken that experience to deliver a major transformation in the way South Yorkshire police deals with horrific crimes such as child sexual exploitation". |
| Speaking after the announcement, the shadow policing minister, Jack Dromey, insisted that Wright should stand down from his post as police commissioner. | Speaking after the announcement, the shadow policing minister, Jack Dromey, insisted that Wright should stand down from his post as police commissioner. |
| He said: "Our first priority must be to support the victims of shameful abuse and to ensure that those who abused them are brought before the courts. Those in authority who failed to use their power to defend the powerless must be called to account. | He said: "Our first priority must be to support the victims of shameful abuse and to ensure that those who abused them are brought before the courts. Those in authority who failed to use their power to defend the powerless must be called to account. |
| "Shaun Wright must resign from his position because the people of South Yorkshire have lost confidence in him. Victims will simply not understand if he clings on to office." | "Shaun Wright must resign from his position because the people of South Yorkshire have lost confidence in him. Victims will simply not understand if he clings on to office." |
| A damning report published this week found that more than 1,400 children in Rotherham were victims of child sexual abuse between 1997 and 2013. It said that Wright, in his former post, received three separate warnings but did not act upon them. | A damning report published this week found that more than 1,400 children in Rotherham were victims of child sexual abuse between 1997 and 2013. It said that Wright, in his former post, received three separate warnings but did not act upon them. |
| Rotherham council's leader, Roger Stone, resigned on Tuesday. | Rotherham council's leader, Roger Stone, resigned on Tuesday. |