Former Rotherham council leader says he 'won't return OBE'

By ITV News' Political Correspondent Emily Morgan:

The former council leader in Rotherham, where 1,400 children were sexually exploited over 16 years, refused to be interviewed for the report into what went on.

He did though resign after its damning findings. That is, some would say, at least something.

Today Mr Stone gave evidence before MPs on the Communities Committee about the scandal.

Asked whether he had raised the council's concerns about child sexual exploitation with police, he said "Yes".

He had also, he said, asked them why they weren't prosecuting anyone. He was then asked if there were sexist attitudes or racism within the council - "No", he said and he also denied that he was a bully.

Mr Stone also said that he does not see why he should return his OBE which he was given for his service to local government.

The former Labour politician, who became leader of the council in 2003, was asked by Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk if he should return the OBE.

Mr Stone said "no" four times and added: "I don't accept a number of the things that you've asked me of. At the end of the day it's not just about the politics of Rotherham."

And it went on. It was Louise Casey's report earlier this month that painted a picture of denial about the problem at the council.

The Jay Report before it, which outlined how hundreds of children had been raped, trafficking and groomed in the town between 1997 and 2013, found councillors and the police didn't take the problem seriously.

Today we got our own insight into how Rotherham council was run and by whom. It was Roger Stone, in denial and living in, what one MP described as, a 'parallel universe'.