A mum has criticised Keighley’s MP, claiming he did not help combat sexual exploitation of children when he was a Bradford Council member.

Angela Sinfield, who campaigned against this type of crime after her family was targeted, claims she and other local mums received no assistance from Kris Hopkins.

However, Mr Hopkins said Ms Sinfield did not raise the issue with him during his time on the local authority.

Ms Sinfield, a former Labour district councillor for Keighley West ward, said she was “infuriated” to read Mr Hopkins’ reaction to the sentencing of two men for drugging, raping and sexually abusing young girls.

He said Shazad Rehman and Bilal Hussain had committed “sick and appalling crimes”, and “had no place in civilised society”.

Ms Sinfield said people whom she feels did nothing to fight sexual grooming when they were in influential posts years ago were jumping on the bandwagon.

She and a small group of Keighley mothers started speaking out against sexual exploitation of girls in the town nearly 13 years ago.

But Ms Sinfield said they never received any support from Mr Hopkins, who was serving as a Worth Valley Tory councillor, later becoming leader of Bradford Council before he was elected as MP in 2010.

She said any credit for work done to force the authorities to take the crime seriously should go to former Keighley Labour MP Ann Cryer. She said. “What did he do as a district councillor to help and support these young girls and their families, and what did he do when he was a leader of Bradford Council?”

Mrs Cryer acknowledged she took action when approached by Ms Sinfield in 2002.

Mr Hopkins said: “Alongside Ann Cryer, Angela deserves credit for the courageous stance she took against those involved in grooming. But despite these efforts, the issue was not resolved, and it has been incumbent upon me to continue to work to eradicate the problem. I was recently pleased to accept an invitation to sit alongside Ann Cryer to jointly present evidence about child grooming in Keighley to the Home Affairs Select Committee.

“I did so because I hoped our joint appearance would send a powerful message, across any perceived political divide, that the fight against child grooming in Keighley was continuing apace. Rather than jumping on a bandwagon, I was doing my job.”