Jeremy Corbyn today denied there was a 'particular problem' with Pakistani men grooming white girls as he faced a backlash for sacking a Labour frontbencher who highlighted the issue.

The Labour leader was accused of ignoring reality and blocking 'open, honest debate' as he insisted 'much crime is committed by white people'.

The row escalated after Sarah Champion was forced to resign as shadow women and equalities secretary for writing an article stating: 'Britain has a problem with British Pakistani men raping and exploiting white girls.'

The piece followed the conviction of 18 members of a grooming ring in Newcastle.

The Rotherham MP - who has long campaigned for more awareness of racist grooming gangs including in her own constituency - apologised for her 'poor choice of words' as she announced her departure last night.

But asked in a broadcast interview today if Rotherham, Rochdale, Newcastle and elsewhere showed there was a 'particular problem' with Pakistani men, Mr Corbyn replied: 'The problem is the crime that is committed against women from any community.

'Much crime is committed by white people, crime is committed by people of other communities as well. I think it is wrong to designate an entire community as the problem.

Jeremy Corbyn today denied there was a 'particular problem' with Pakistani men grooming white girls as he faced a backlash for sacking a Labour frontbencher who highlighted the issue

The Labour leader was accused of ignoring reality and blocking 'open, honest debate' as he insisted 'much crime is committed by white people'

Mr Corbyn, pictured at a food bank in Bolton today, said Ms Champion had been 'right' to quit and communities should not be 'demonised'

Sarah Champion apologised for her 'extremely poor choice of words' as she announced her departure last night

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid today hit out at the way Sarah Champion had been forced to resign as shadow women and equalities secretary

'What I think is right is to deal with the problem of the safety and security and vulnerability of often young women, who can be groomed by all kinds of people into some awful and dangerous situations.'

However, the Equality and Human Rights Commission said it was a 'real shame' that Ms Champion had been ousted due to 'over-sensitivity about language'.

Tory former children's minister Tim Loughton said: 'Those of us with experience in this area know Sarah Champion is highly respected for exposing child sexual abuse and should be listened to.'

He told Sky News Mr Corbyn was 'deaf to a problem that is happening in our country'.

Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, whose family background is Pakistani, posted on Twitter today: 'Corbyn wrong to sack Sarah Champion. We need an honest open debate on child sexual exploitation, including racial motivation.'

In the article for The Sun last week, Ms Champion sparked a backlash from Labour activists by writing: '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?

CORBYN'S INTERVIEW EXCHANGE IN FULL Jeremy Corbyn: 'I don't think you can label a whole community. 'I think what you have to do is label those that perpetrate disgusting and disgraceful crimes against people, and they can be from any community, they can be white, they can be black, they can be any community, but they have to be dealt with as the crime of what it is.' Interviewer: Do you not think there's a particular problem with Pakistani men? Because we've seen in Rochdale, we've seen in Rotherham, in Newcastle and Oxford, that's been the problem.' Corbyn: 'The problem is the crime that is committed against women from any community. 'Much crime is committed by white people, crime is committed by people of other communities as well. I think it is wrong to designate an entire community as the problem. 'What I think is right is to deal with the problem of the safety and security and vulnerability of often young women, who can be groomed by all kinds of people into some awful and dangerous situations.' Advertisement

'For too long we have ignored the race of these abusers and, worse, tried to cover it up.

'No more. These people are predators and the common denominator is their ethnic heritage.'

Labour MP Barry Sheerman wrote: 'I don't understand the forced resignation of Sarah Champion and nor will my constituents.'

Shadow justice minister Yasmin Qureshi repeatedly refused to be drawn on whether it was right that Ms Champion stepped down.

'I think you need to ask Sarah that question,' she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'Of course we should deal with abuse wherever it occurs and we should ask ourselves as to what we can do to ensure these things don't happen.'

The MP had claimed her article was altered and should 'not have gone out in my name'.

But the newspaper produced emails indicating that she had been supplied with and approved proofs of the page.

Ms Champion said last night: '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.'

Mr Javid, pictured in Downing Street earlier this summer, accused Jeremy Corbyn of blocking 'open, honest debate' by sacking Ms Champion

Fellow Labour MP Kate Hoey said the resignation of Ms Champion was 'very sad'

Fellow Labour MP Kate Hoey said: 'This is very sad. @SarahChampionMP is an independent minded and impressive MP who is needed in Shadow Caninet.'

Ms Champion's column in The Sun followed an interview for the BBC last Thursday in which she warned people are not raising potential cases of child abuse as they fear being labelled racist.

The Labour MP also told the BBC there was a need to acknowledge the 'majority of perpetrators have been British-Pakistani' in the English towns and cities where grooming gangs have targeted girls.

A spokeswoman for The Sun said: 'Sarah Champion's column, as it appeared on Friday, was approved by her team and her adviser twice contacted us thereafter to say she was 'thrilled' with the piece and it 'looked great'.

'Indeed, her only objection after the article appeared was her belief that her picture byline looked unflattering. Her office submitted five new pictures for further use.'