UK's shadow equalities minister forced to quit over remarks against Pakistani men

The shadow equalities minister in the UK has been forced to resign over her remarks against Pakistani-origin British men whom she accused of sexually exploiting vulnerable white girls.

Sarah Champion, the Opposition Labour party's MP for Rotherham and the shadow equalities minister, was asked to step down by party leader Jeremy Corbyn after she wrote a newspaper column in the wake of 17 men, mostly of Pakistani-origin, being convicted of 90 sex and drug offences including rape, sexual activity with a child, conspiracy to incite prostitution and child trafficking.

Champion has been an outspoken defender of abuse victims' rights.

Her column, published in The Sun on Friday, said, "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?"

The remarks spiralled further as they were quoted in another Sun article penned by journalist Trevor Kavanagh urging the British Parliament to tackle Britain's "Muslim problem".

Champion, who distanced herself from the 'Muslim problem' reference, 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," she said.

The article by Kavanagh has drawn widespread condemnation, including from the Muslim Council of Britain and the Board of Deputies of British Jews after he wrote, "Thanks to former equalities chief Trevor Phillips, and Labour MPs such as Rotherham's Sarah Champion, it is acceptable to say Muslims are a specific rather than a cultural problem."

It prompted a letter to the Sun from a cross-party group of MPs accusing Kavanagh of using Nazi-like language regarding the Muslim community in Britain.

The letter, also signed by Champion, read, "Muslims currently face threats from far right and neo-Nazi groups in the UK and your publication of this article can therefore only be seen as an attempt to further stoke up hatred and hostility against Muslims."

A spokesperson for the Sun said, "We strongly reject the allegation that Trevor Kavanagh is inciting Islamophobia. He is reflecting the links between immigration, religion and crime in the context of a trial of largely Pakistani sex gangs."