Sajid Javid says Muslim communities in Britain have 'cultural problem' where women are viewed as commodities

The culture secretary said Britain can no longer be 'held back by political correctness'

Roisin O'Connor

Saturday 04 April 2015 21:11 BST

Culture Minister Sajid Javid (Getty Images)

Britain’s culture secretary Sajid Javid has said a "misplaced sense of political correctness" prevented police and social workers from "properly investigating" claims of sexual abuse in Rotherham, Oxford and Rochdale.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Mr Javid, who has been tipped as a future Conservative leader, said some of the values in certain communities were "totally unacceptable in British society".

"We can no longer be held back in any sense by political correctness," he said.

"I know plenty of people, British Muslims, men and women, who would 100 per cent agree with that, not only out of a sense of shame but also because of the fear of what else might be going on.

"Some of the values that certain people in some communities have, in their attitudes to women or on the question of freedom of expression, are just totally unacceptable in British society; and we do no one any favours when we don’t investigate or talk about them."

In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

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1/10In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

White Flowers Campaign

A campaigner holds a banner at Old Palace Yard in Westminster, during an event organised by the White Flowers Campaign Group, in commemoration of victims and survivors of child abuse

In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

White Flowers Campaign

Pictures, messages and floral tributes left at Old Palace Yard in Westminster, organised by the WhiteFlowers Campaign Group in commemoration of victims and survivors of child abuse

In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

White Flowers Campaign

Jenny Tomlin, the mother of Martine McCutcheon, attends a gathering at Old Palace Yard in Westminster, organised by the White Flowers Campaign Group, to lay white flowers in commemoration of victims and survivors of child abuse

In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

White Flowers Campaign

Child abuse campaigner Bill Maloney speaks to relatives, supporters, victims and survivors of abuse as they gather at Old Palace Yard in Westminster to lay white flowers in commemoration of victims and survivors of child abuse

In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

White Flowers Campaign

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion speaks during a gathering at Old Palace Yard in Westminster, organised by the WhiteFlowers Campaign Group, to lay white flowers in commemoration of victims and survivors of child abuse

In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

White Flowers Campaign

Simon Danczuk MP speaks during a gathering at Old Palace Yard in Westminster, organised by the WhiteFlowers Campaign Group, to lay white flowers in commemoration of victims and survivors of child abuse

In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

White Flowers Campaign

John Mann MP attends a gathering at Old Palace Yard in Westminster, organised by the WhiteFlowers Campaign Group, to lay white flowers in commemoration of victims and survivors of child abuse

In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

White Flowers Campaign

A woman leaves a floral tribute at Old Palace Yard in Westminster

In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

White Flowers Campaign

Relatives, supporters and survivors of abuse hold a minutes silence during a gathering at Old Palace Yard in Westminster, organised by the WhiteFlowers Campaign Group, in commemoration of victims and survivors of child abuse

In pictures: White Flowers Campaign to support child abuse victims

White Flowers Campaign

Jenny Tomlin, the mother of Martine McCutcheon (left) supports Esther Grace of Cardiff, a victim and survivor of abuse, during a gathering at Old Palace Yard in Westminster, organised by the WhiteFlowers Campaign Group, to lay white flowers in commemoration of victims and survivors of child abuse

Mr Javid’s comments follow an investigation into the operation of paedophile gangs in Rotherham, the members of which were mostly men of Pakistani origin, which saw more than 1,400 children subjected to rape, violence and trafficking over a 16-year-period.

According to a report, senior figures at Rotherham Council were reluctant to intervene because they were worried about being labelled as racists.

It also found that Greater Manchester Police put too much emphasis on the credibility of the victims of the abuse and did not focus on the seriousness of the crimes being alleged.

Mr Javid added: "If we are to learn proper lessons from this, we have to look at the cultural side of some communities in Britain and see why it is that in some communities there are men that have a view of women that is completely unacceptable in modern British society; why do they have such a low value of women that they see them as commodities to be abused?"

He said the authorities had to "get to the bottom of this" and urged communities to look into "what might be going on that we don’t know about".