A petition has been launched calling on Shaun Wright to resign as South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner in the light of allegations that he failed to stop paedophile gangs raping children in Rotherham.
Wright was Cabinet Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services from 2005 to 2010, the same period when his council was ignoring complains from victims.
In some cases children were terrorised and threatened with murder but both police and the council failed to act. On one occasion a the police attended an incident of gang rape but arrested the victim because she was drunk. There are thought to be around 1,400 victims, who were abused over a period of 1997 to 2013.
A report by Alexis Jay yesterday attacked the council for its failure to protect children. Despite the criticism Shaun Wright is refusing to resign.
Wright was also the Deputy Chairman of the Police Authority before the body was abolished to create the post of Police and Crime Commissioner. This means that at the time of the abuse he was the second most senior politician in South Yorkshire Police.
The former councillor is paid £85,000 a year to protect the public despite his track record. He is refusing to resign despite demands by from a wide variety of senior figures including Jane Collins MEP and Labour leader Ed Miliband.
The petitioner Mike Rouse said: “This man has proved himself to be wholly unable to look after children. His record at Rotherham Council was appalling, so bad that the government had to step in. He now seems to be unable to take responsibility for his own failures.
“How on earth can anyone have any confidence in this man to look after the children and young people of Yorkshire. He should go now and spare the public the indignity of having to keep asking him to do the right thing.”
You can sign the petition, supported by Breitbart London, by clicking here.