[Sloper]

Let me make this absolutely clear, I have no political axe to grind here, the report into what happened is far too viscerally unpleasant to even consider the political aspects.

Secondly I am very reticent to join the lynch mob in calling for resignations as a nfirst response to things going wrong, even tragically wrong and with systemic factors (see 'Baby P' & etc).

However, those in political office, at what point should they not only consider their position not only with regard to their own office, but also the damage that in remaining in office they do to the party that they have served for their whole (? usually) political life?

Turning to Rotherham specifically, I would expect that anyone with the slightest vestige of dignity would, if named in the report or in a relevant position in the council, resign their seat with immediate effect.  In staying they are tarnishing not only their party but the very process of local democracy.

[bigtuboflard]

On a very simple level (which I mostly operate) I find it hard to believe that he can justify to himself that it is reasonable to stay in post given the circumstances and the role he previous held and now holds. I would really like to hear how he rationalised the decision to himself as even removing the political angle I very much doubt there is anyone who could easily support staying on. I imagine its just a matter of time before the weight of public opinion and associated anger becomes such that he has to step down; just a shame that its not done beforehand for the right moral reasons.

[petejh]

Turning to Rotherham specifically, I would expect that anyone with the slightest vestige of dignity would, if named in the report or in a relevant position in the council, resign their seat with immediate effect.  In staying they are tarnishing not only their party but the very process of local democracy.

I'd put it that anyone named in the report, if they had the slightest vestige of decency, wouldn't have allowed the situation to develop as it did.

It does raise difficult questions in my mind -  questions that won't be answered in the moral panic which the media will inevitably help stir up over the coming weeks.

[psychomansam]

Party politics: yuck. And local democracy? where?

But I'm only actually posting here to say how so very glad I am I'm about to start working at a school in Rotherham 

[tomtom]

A friends mother worked as a senior social worker for many years in a major former industrial northern town left in disgust/apathy 7 or 8 years ago. She repeatedly hints at there being things such as widespread abuse not being followed up (as in R) going on in many other places.

Interesting argument as well how victims from care homes are being bought and sold twice - once by the abusers/rapists and second by the private care home market - where they are effectvely a commodity..

[Sloper]

It seems that the P&CC has resinged from Labour but not from the role.  If he is forced out down the line this will only do more damage to Labour as there will inevitably be guilt by association. 

What is that the leader of the council waited until publication before resigning despite being informed via the 'maxwellisation' process that he would be subcject to 'adverse findings' well before publication.

[Jaspersharpe]

A friends mother worked as a senior social worker for many years in a major former industrial northern town left in disgust/apathy 7 or 8 years ago. She repeatedly hints at there being things such as widespread abuse not being followed up (as in R) going on in many other places.

The same things are happening (or certainly were happening) in many other places. The situation in Rotherham is just the tip of a really horrific iceberg.

[Sloper]

Absolutely, although I am not sure whether the other local authorities (Derby, B'ham, Oxford, Rochdale, Tower Hamlets) are quite as culpable as Rotherham, but hopefully the truth will out.