13/05/2012 Sunday Politics North West

And in the North West, nine Asian men are convicted of sexually

grooming young white girls. Could it have been stopped earlier if the

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 2007 seconds

Hello, I am Annabel Tiffin. In the next 20 minutes, nine Asian men are

convicted of sexually grooming young white girls. How can we stop

this happening again? Let me introduce you to our two guests.

The Labour MP for Manchester Blackley & Broughton, Graham

Stringer, and Professor Jo Crotty, the chair of the North West Liberal

Democrats. First, this week nine men from Rochdale were jailed for a

range of offences after being found guilty of grooming girls for sex.

Eight were born in Pakistan, the other from Afghanistan. Greater

Manchester Police insists race was not a factor, but others disagree.

So why has it taken years for this kind of abuse to be taken

seriously? It has been a high-profile trial,

raising volatile issues. If it is a low-key in Pakistan, go back to

Pakistan. The British National Party's Nick Griffin, he says he

raised concerns nine years ago. Labour Party have spent decades

taking political advantage of a Muslim blog vote and refusing to

criticise people in those communities. They should have

spoken up for these girls and it is to their shame they did not.

Greater Manchester Police says ethnicity is not an issue. I am

investigating similar offences, grooming and child sexual

exploitation, where it is not Asian men. But last year, the former

Labour Home Secretary, Jack Shaw, spoke out from Blackburn. There is

a specific problem, involving men from Pakistani heritage, who target

vulnerable young white girls. he was something of a lone voice,

so why have these crimes been too easily dismissed by some? I think

political correctness, both within the local authority and the police,

a desire not to heighten concerns around racial issues has played a

part. I think what has come out of this trial is the fact that race

has been a factor in it. None of those jailed and his trial were

born in Britain, but do the Pakistani taking money -- but do

the Pakistani communities in Rochdale and elsewhere recognise

the problem? We should be sent back to Pakistan. Whether you are any

colour, the main thing is it is going on everywhere.

authorities now wants to make sure it goes on nowhere, but it is to

lay out for many. Also joining us is the Chief

Executive of the Ramadan Foundation. We have heard from police and other

MPs who say this is not a race issue, but you do not agree? Let us

look at the case. 67 of 77 recent cases were Pakistani men and the

victims were generally white. As a community, we have to recognise a

problem. A small minority of Pakistani men who think white girls

are worthless, who can be used and abused in this way. We have to

confront that. I have been campaigning against this for six

years. But you have to put it into the wider context, 80% of sexual

abuses in this country are carried out by white men. It would have

been nice to see wider coverage of those cases. The media obsession of

this is important, so we can discuss this, but it has to be put

in context. But do you worry that your earlier comments are inflaming

the issue, giving fuel too far right groups? I think I have

stopped the British National Party taking political advantage and the

English Defence League. Myself and other representatives of the

committee have filled that gap. That is how to defeat them,

confronting the issue and be open and honest. We have an added

responsibility in our community, but also, as referred to in that

report, there has been an abject figure of Greater Manchester Police

and social services, letting down victims, and just saying sorry is

not good enough. Let me bring in Graham Stringer. Why do you think

it has taken so long for this to be taken seriously, maybe at year

opera coming across as racist? simply do not know the answer to

that. -- maybe fears of coming across as a racist? I think there

is some truth that in many public services, the police in particular,

are frightened of a during races, jumping all over the place as to

what their definition is. If going back to the definition that what

racism is coming out of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry, that a victim or

witnesses believe the matter to be racist, it should be investigated

as such. The police have that in policy statements, so does the

Director of Public Prosecutions, but we have not acted on it. The

judge thought it was racist. That would be at her lover will slander

against many of people from the Pakistani tea cap -- that would be

a terrible slander from the people of the Pakistani community that I

represent. The idea that everyone in the Pakistani community is

racist is a terrible idea. Clearly not and Jack Straw was not saying

that. Do you think he was right to see what he said? The worst thing

that can happen, and what can give racists are most encouragement, is

not to deal with situations objectively. More and find out what

is happening, if it is happening in a particular community, and that is

why we need an inquiry as strong and investigative as the Stephen

Lawrence inquiry, so that all sensible questions can be answered

and we can do something. I agree that the police and social services

and the Director of Public Prosecutions have a real case to

answer about apparently going took the Telegraph and this restoration

was known about and going on for ten years. We need to know why.

Crotty, what do you think politicians can do? And politicians

do anything, particularly looking at these vulnerable girls? I am

sure you would agree that you feel terrible for these young girls, I

cannot imagine what it would have been like for them. Of course,

politicians, Government, social services all have a role, but it

concerns me that we leaked to that and that the Government should have

done more, we should do more education, police, social services

should have done more. But what makes somebody think that winning

is all right? We seem to leaked immediately on to all these other

services. -- that grooming is all right? This is not all right. What

makes a person do this? Do we need to understand more as a society?

But how do we do that. I think it is dangerous to say we should not

blame the police. One girl went to the police and 2008, made a

complaint, which was passed on to the Crown Prosecution Service and

those failed. But there has been an apology. I am not saying we should

never blame the police. That person was then put back into the abuse

and other girls suffered. In Rochdale this week, we have seen

leaders come up and speak out against this, some think I have

called for for six years. Rochdale has been a catalyst for change. We

have to stay focused on the victims because of what they appeared

through. Thank you very much for the time being.

Up to 60,000 public sector employees from the region took part

in a national day of action to protest at proposed changes to

their pensions. Strikers ranged from health workers in Merseyside

to Border Agency staff at Manchester Airport. Even staff who

cannot officially strike, such as prison officers in Manchester,

showed support by staging protest meetings. Other police, normally

accustomed to keeping order at demonstrations, took leave to stage

their own in London against budget cuts. The Government claims their

actions were futile. The striker has disagreed. The attack on public

sector pensions is not about protecting funds that are no longer

viable, but it is an attack on broader public service sectors --

an attack on broader public sector services. This is strikes we have

seen since the coalition came into power, protesting against coalition

policies. Yes, except that we have a demographic time bomb and maybe

the recession and they need to do something about the deficit has

sped up policy on the reform of pensions, particularly public

sector once. So there is less money around and in the future and people

living too long? Not too long. The. -- longer. Yes, people am

working and living longer. And I said I have to peak -- and I accept

I have to work more and p less. you would not walk on strike?

not think so, as I can see both sides. As a country we need to deal

with the issue of an ageing population, except when it happens

to you individually. And it is hard to take. Yes. And people are living

longer, not enough money, and the judgments need to be made? I do not

think the unions denied there had things that have to be looked at,

but the Government is putting at 3% tax effectively on pensions, going

straight into the Treasury, which will not help individuals pensions.

That is unjustifiable and night and see why unions are angry. It will

always be a difficult situation. -- and I can see why unions around the.

There have been changes in the funding of pensions. That requires

long, detailed negotiations. Not a Minister in the Cabinet Office, not

understanding his brief, saying to take it or leave it. It needs a

long and detailed discussions which the Government and not interested

in. Not interested in talking to the unions? I believe the unions

were discussed at length at the end of last year, but the reality is,

it would not have mattered whether it was Labour, a collision or

Conservative Government, these very difficult decisions would need to

be made. -- coalition or Conservative Government. We need to

make these decisions on the deficit. Why should people paying into a

pension pot have to pay a bigger tax than anybody else? But people

do not. They are being asked to put extra contributions into their

pension, which will not help them, will not replace things in their

pension fund, it goes straight into the Treasury. We can agree about

the economy, the government and not doing well, but none of that is an

excuse for hitting people who are peeing into pensions. All it will

do is encourage people to leave pension schemes and leave us with a

bigger problem. I think it is unlikely people would leave a

public sector pension scheme even though you have to pay more and

work longer. Most of them are much better than pensions in the private

sector. But the average pension comes out at about �7,000 every

year. People will make choices about whether continuing to pay

extra tax to the Treasury or whether to look to benefits when

retiring. There is this myth about that somehow people in the public

sector have gold-plated pension schemes. And that everybody gets

huge pensions. The averages only about �7,000. Just coming back on

that? That reduce skewed by people at both ends. I still have not

heard from any of your colleagues as to what you would do instead.

That deficit is a reality and I hear no other plant. You criticise

and see no to everything. That is not true. What is Labour's plan?

I'm sorry, I have to stop you bowl. Believe it or not, we are going to

talk about caravans. Caravan holidays have a reputation for

being relaxed, but a storm is brewing. Until now, static caravan

is sold as holiday homes have not been subject to VAT, but the

Government says that is unfair and plans to tax all sales from October

this year. The consultation period finishes next week and the caravan

community are up in arms. Katherine loves her holiday home.

It was bought it just a few months ago and was not subject to any VAT.

But for others wanting to buy, that is set to change. We were fortunate.

We did not know this would be happening last summer, so I am glad

we got it now. At the moment, all static caravans are VAT free,

whether used as permanent residences or as holiday homes.

Other holiday caravans that can be towed are taxed at 20%. The

Government says that is an unintentional loophole that it

wants to close. The average holiday home costing around �30,000, you

are looking at an increase of around �6,000 on that. Caravans are

used as permanent homes will still be VAT free, but those used as

holiday homes would be subject to the tax and holiday parks are

worried what it would mean for them. If the 20% VAT was to come in, we

would see a reduction in business of over 50% turnover on holiday

homes sales. If there had been another 20%, we could not have

afforded it and would not have got one. The Treasury told us that,

over time, significant anomalies have developed in the VAT system,

causing very similar products to be taxed very differently. It says the

Co VAT rate was only Abba meant to apply to residential caravans, so

this change brings static caravans in line with other holiday caravans,

all of which are already subject to VAT. It is not just caravan parks

and owners who expect to field the effects of the change. This firm in

Stockport provides security and monitoring equipment for caravans.

We have a broad at taking a year to develop a product of a holiday home

industry and we envisage we would be earned �3.5 million for the

first year, �3.5 million the next year. It looked like it would be a

fantastic piece of business for us, but the 20 cent -- but the 20%

increase in VAT has made a holiday home companies think twice about

their investment. What looked like a massive earner has turned out to

be a year down the pan. Local MP wants the Government to rethink its

plans. They have announced that they are going to consult for an

extra two weeks, which was their gift to the House of Commons when

it looked like they were going to be defeated. I hope they are

listening in those two weeks and that they decide to back down,

because it is really unfair. And to rural areas like the Fylde, there

are fears that other local businesses could be affected, too.

People will look to going on holiday abroad, and instead of

investing money in a caravan holiday warned, and spending their

tourist pounds in local shops and businesses and public houses, going

abroad, going on cruises, taking the money out of this country.

Owners like Susie are lobbying the Government to rethink their plans,

which was the VAT imposed on all holiday caravans are sales from

October. Jo Crotty, the Government sees this

as plugging a loophole. But very and four rip -- but very on fair

and businesses. Yes, there is no way to spin that, it is against

business and growth. You do not agree? The fact is, we are in a

difficult arena, with the deficit, so if tax is not raised, tax has to

be raised elsewhere. No one is immune from making counter-

intuitive Budget decisions. It is not counter-intuitive, it is a

shambles. We have pasty tax is, at the granny tax, taxes on caravans,

all of which are likely to lead to less money raised, because it is

sending passengers to Paris instead of London. Caravans will not be

built and purchased. Thousands could lose their jobs. This Budget

has been a disaster and will not even raise any extra cash. It is a

government that has lost its way. Thank you, I am sorry to interrupt,

we have to stop. Now it is time to look at what else has been going on

in the region. A week on from the elections, the

region's two new mayors got to work. Joe Anderson promises new jobs,

schools and housing or Liverpool. In Salford, Ian Stewart was

addressing May Day ralliers protesting against Government

spending cuts. I will work with the Labour movement, employers, the

voluntary sector, higher education and anybody else who will help us

to mitigate the worst effects of the cuts, because those affecting

Salford and people and their family. In Lancashire, the chairman of the

Environment Agency has come out in support of fracking for shale gas.

Lord Smith says, provided there are safeguards, he sees no reason why

ejection -- extraction should go ahead. His support has angered

critics. Illiterates -- villagers in the

Trough of Bowland have taken Big Society to heart by begin in and

setting up their own broadband. It is hoped it will benefit 1,400