Statement from Dan Jarvis, Member of Parliament for Barnsley Central:

"Like everyone, I am horrified at the appalling revelations about the abuse of young people in Rotherham.

As the country comes to terms with this shocking news, we must not lose sight of the fact that these victims have suffered the most horrendous abuse. My thoughts are with them above all else.

Every effort must now be made to ensure that these crimes are thoroughly investigated, that justice is achieved for the victims and that the wider issues for our communities are addressed.

As part of that process, questions must be asked that apply not just to Rotherham, but more broadly too.

We need to do much better as a society to support victims of horrific crimes and ensure their voices are always heard and their rights are protected. Professor Jay's report has underlined this urgent and important priority, one that I am currently working on in my capacity as Shadow Victims Minister.

Questions have also rightly been put to South Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner. I believe public office is about service, leadership and trust. It’s a great privilege to serve the public but when you lose their confidence you can no longer continue to serve. There is no doubt that Shaun Wright has now lost the trust of the public and must step down immediately. Otherwise he risks further weakening public confidence in the ability of our institutions to respond to the very real challenges that Professor Jay's report has exposed."