Did Sarah Champion need to quit Labour front bench?

[G B Young]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-40952224

I'm unclear as to why what she wrote and is condemned as racist. The common denominator in all these sex network stories appears to be the ethnicity of the gangs of men involved. Is it because she focused only on the 'British Pakistani' men? Should she have included 'British Iraqi, Bangladeshi, Indian, Iranian and Turkish men'?

I may be missing the point here, but she seems to make her stance clear in this earlier article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-40886658

[johnbc70]

I read a little bit and thought she was being factual, so what was the big issue? But like many things in this country we are far too politically correct on many things and this seems like a good example.

[lord bunberry]

You would think that everyone would think that what was happening with these grooming gangs was a problem. I don't see what's wrong with what she's said. I could understand if she was saying that all Pakistani men were involved in this sort of thing, but that not what she said.

[beensaidbefore]

Thread last week (10k convictions) suggested this very problem may exist. That was dismissed as being a bit far fetched,and then this week we have this. We need to be able to discuss things without getting silly and resorting to name calling which seems to be the order of the day.

[Hibbyradge]

You would think that everyone would think that what was happening with these grooming gangs was a problem. I don't see what's wrong with what she's said. I could understand if she was saying that all Pakistani men were involved in this sort of thing, but that not what she said.

If she had said "some British Pakistani men", I'd agree, but she omitted the adjective.

If someone said that the UK was having problems with Scottish men raping girls (or committing any other crime for that matter), I'd be furious.

[beensaidbefore]

If she had said "some British Pakistani men", I'd agree, but she omitted the adjective.

If someone said that the UK was having problems with Scottish men raping girls (or committing any other crime for that matter), I'd be furious.

You make a very valid point. I wonder though if the omission of the word 'some' should lead to such a furore that the wider issue is being missed. I think it is this approach which makes people fearful of speaking out.

Imo, it would have been better to publicly chastise her for a poorly made sweeping statement, but acknowledge the very serious point she was trying to make. I feel it has been slightly lost amongst all the other noise.

[CropleyWasGod]

The other thing that should be taken into account is the fact that, initially, she said that she had been misquoted. This was proven to be false. That just laid more criticism at her door.

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[lord bunberry]

If she had said "some British Pakistani men", I'd agree, but she omitted the adjective.

If someone said that the UK was having problems with Scottish men raping girls (or committing any other crime for that matter), I'd be furious.

Your probably correct, but I think we all knew what she meant.

[Hibbyradge]

You make a very valid point. I wonder though if the omission of the word 'some' should lead to such a furore that the wider issue is being missed. I think it is this approach which makes people fearful of speaking out.

Imo, it would have been better to publicly chastise her for a poorly made sweeping statement, but acknowledge the very serious point she was trying to make. I feel it has been slightly lost amongst all the other noise.

I agree with the sentiments in your second paragraph.

I think the practicality of the situation would make it very hard to manage.

She'd be on the defensive all the time and that's never good for a politician or their party.

This incident will now be quickly forgotten and she'll remain virtually unscathed. When the opportunity arises again, it'll be easy to bring her back into the cabinet.

[Hibbyradge]

The other thing that should be taken into account is the fact that, initially, she said that she had been misquoted. This was proven to be false. That just laid more criticism at her door.

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True. Her resignation sweeps all that aside.

[lord bunberry]

The other thing that should be taken into account is the fact that, initially, she said that she had been misquoted. This was proven to be false. That just laid more criticism at her door.

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Yes I agree with that. She was being a typical politician on that point. She should have had the courage to back up what she said.

[Colr]

You would think that everyone would think that what was happening with these grooming gangs was a problem. I don't see what's wrong with what she's said. I could understand if she was saying that all Pakistani men were involved in this sort of thing, but that not what she said.

That was my take but the some Pakistani members of the party seem to be gan radge about what she said. Was on Today this morning if you want to listen back on iPlayer.