Shamed South Yorkshire crime tsar Shaun Wright holds a key role in tackling child abuse across Britain, it emerged last night. MPs said it was an ‘outrage’ that the man at the centre of the Rotherham abuse scandal sits on a Home Office panel on behalf of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. He was appointed as Labour’s representative to the national group on sexual violence against children and vulnerable people and has still not quit – despite resigning the party whip. The news came in evidence to the home affairs committee, which is investigating how failures left 1,400 youngsters open to horrific abuse by predominantly Asian men. Scroll down for video . Defiant: Shaun Wright was appointed as Labour’s representative to the national group on sexual violence against children and vulnerable people. He has still not quit over the Rotherham child abuse scandal . Before being elected South Yorkshire PCC in 2012, Mr Wright was Rotherham’s councillor in charge of children’s services for five years. MPs said Mr Wright – who refuses to resign from his £85,000-a-year post – was ‘clinging on against almost unanimous opposition’ and was ‘not fit to hold office’. Mr Wright said it would be the ‘easy option’ to step down, but insisted he was doing a ‘good job’. Incredibly, he then revealed his key role dealing with child abuse in the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. Tory MP Michael Ellis said: ‘Is that not an outrage? Is it not a disgrace that you are currently responsible for the sort of area we are investigating?’ Tory MP Michael Ellis called Wright's appointment 'an outrage', adding: 'Is it not a disgrace that you are currently responsible for the sort of area we are investigating?' Professor Alexis Jay’s report on how 1,400 children were exploited led to national fury. Rotherham council’s Labour leader, Roger Stone, resigned. On Monday, chief executive Martin Kimber said he will quit in December. But Mr Wright refuses to go – and current rules do not allow for his removal. Committee chairman Keith Vaz said the law should be changed. Labour MP Paul Flynn said: ‘You are a busted flush, a dead PCC walking... I’ve been an MP for more than 20 years and you are the least credible witness I’ve come across. You are a charlatan, in love with office and the salary.’ MPs also urged Joyce Thacker, the head of Rotherham’s children’s services, to resign. They said she had failed to take responsibility for the scandal. Mr Kimber and Miss Thacker came under fire for using public money to prevent a journalist from reporting the abuse. Applause broke out in the public gallery as MPs said the Press had done more to expose the problem than officials. Unusually, the committee made witnesses give evidence on oath. Former South Yorkshire chief constable Merredyd Hughes said he had ‘no idea’ the abuse was going on and was ‘embarrassed’. He told MPs: ‘I have had a 32-year police career and, yet on this issue I have signally failed the victims of these criminals and it hurts.’ A Home Office researcher who wrote a 2002 report into sexual abuse in Rotherham said two police officers had threatened to give her details to grooming gangs. She has also said that evidence used in her report, which was ignored by officials, was taken from her office.
Shaun Wright was appointed as Labour’s representative to the national group on sexual violence against children and vulnerable people .
He is facing many calls to resign, including from PM and own council .
One MP said: 'You are a charlatan, in love with office and the salary'
Shamed South Yorkshire crime tsar Shaun Wright holds a key role in tackling child abuse across Britain, it emerged last night. MPs said it was an ‘outrage’ that the man at the centre of the Rotherham abuse scandal sits on a Home Office panel on behalf of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. He was appointed as Labour’s representative to the national group on sexual violence against children and vulnerable people and has still not quit – despite resigning the party whip. The news came in evidence to the home affairs committee, which is investigating how failures left 1,400 youngsters open to horrific abuse by predominantly Asian men. Scroll down for video . Defiant: Shaun Wright was appointed as Labour’s representative to the national group on sexual violence against children and vulnerable people. He has still not quit over the Rotherham child abuse scandal . Before being elected South Yorkshire PCC in 2012, Mr Wright was Rotherham’s councillor in charge of children’s services for five years. MPs said Mr Wright – who refuses to resign from his £85,000-a-year post – was ‘clinging on against almost unanimous opposition’ and was ‘not fit to hold office’. Mr Wright said it would be the ‘easy option’ to step down, but insisted he was doing a ‘good job’. Incredibly, he then revealed his key role dealing with child abuse in the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners. Tory MP Michael Ellis said: ‘Is that not an outrage? Is it not a disgrace that you are currently responsible for the sort of area we are investigating?’ Tory MP Michael Ellis called Wright's appointment 'an outrage', adding: 'Is it not a disgrace that you are currently responsible for the sort of area we are investigating?' Professor Alexis Jay’s report on how 1,400 children were exploited led to national fury. Rotherham council’s Labour leader, Roger Stone, resigned. On Monday, chief executive Martin Kimber said he will quit in December. But Mr Wright refuses to go – and current rules do not allow for his removal. Committee chairman Keith Vaz said the law should be changed. Labour MP Paul Flynn said: ‘You are a busted flush, a dead PCC walking... I’ve been an MP for more than 20 years and you are the least credible witness I’ve come across. You are a charlatan, in love with office and the salary.’ MPs also urged Joyce Thacker, the head of Rotherham’s children’s services, to resign. They said she had failed to take responsibility for the scandal. Mr Kimber and Miss Thacker came under fire for using public money to prevent a journalist from reporting the abuse. Applause broke out in the public gallery as MPs said the Press had done more to expose the problem than officials. Unusually, the committee made witnesses give evidence on oath. Former South Yorkshire chief constable Merredyd Hughes said he had ‘no idea’ the abuse was going on and was ‘embarrassed’. He told MPs: ‘I have had a 32-year police career and, yet on this issue I have signally failed the victims of these criminals and it hurts.’ A Home Office researcher who wrote a 2002 report into sexual abuse in Rotherham said two police officers had threatened to give her details to grooming gangs. She has also said that evidence used in her report, which was ignored by officials, was taken from her office.
Crime Commissioners. He was appointed as Labour’s representative to the national group on sexual violence against children and vulnerable people Labour’s representative to the national group on sexual violence against children and vulnerable I’ve come across. You are a charlatan, in love with office and the salary.’ MPs also urged Joyce