A number of Sikh, Hindu and Pakistani Christian groups have written a joint letter criticising Labour’s “weak response” to a frontbencher who spoke out about the race factor in sex-grooming cases.
The letter, co-signed by Lord Singh of Wimbledon, defends Sarah Champion, the Labour MP who was forced to quit the front bench after pointing out that many perpetrators of sex crimes involving street-grooming were of Pakistani origin.
The letter also points out that it is “not just white girls” who have fallen victim to grooming gangs.
The letter to The Times, signed by Lord Singh on behalf of the Network of Sikh Organisations and by groups including the British Pakistani Christian Association and Hindu Council UK, states: “We commend Sarah Champion and the Muslim councillor Amina Lone for speaking up on a clear trend in criminality: the conviction of men of largely Pakistani Muslim heritage in sexual-grooming cases.”
Theresa May said while home secretary that a fear of being seen as racist had prevented the authorities from acting on reports that many sex crimes involving street-grooming were mainly being committed by men from a particular background.
The letter states: “We are not willing to see the betrayal of victims, who are being sacrificed on the altar of political correctness. It’s not racist or Islamophobic to raise a matter of significant public concern.”
Ms Champion wrote in The Sun: “Britain has a problem with British Pakistani men raping and exploiting white girls.”
She later apologised for an “extremely poor choice of words” and quit her role as shadow secretary for women and equalities.