MPs should feel “sadness and bewilderment” at the murder of 16-month-old toddler Star Hobson, the Prime Minister has said as he warned councils they could have powers taken away from them for missing serious social work cases.

On the murder of the Keighley child, Boris Johnson told MPs: “I would just want to say that I think the whole House will once again be filled with incredulity at the cruelty of people who can perpetrate a child killing like this, but also sadness and bewilderment that it could not have been prevented.

“We will appoint… a commissioner to assess the relevant council – Bradford’s – capability and capacity to improve on their findings and they will report in January.

“This will also feed into the report that we have commissioned on the death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. I say to those who are responsible in the authorities concerned, that we will not hesitate to remove service control if that is what is necessary to drive the improvements that we need to see.”

Conservative MP for Keighley Robbie Moore had said Star had been “brutally murdered by a monster”, and asked what the Government was doing in the aftermath of a trial into the murder.

Mr Moore had told the House: "The court heard that numerous referrals were made to Bradford Council children’s services months in advance of Star’s murder, but they were not taken seriously—in fact, the case was closed. The Prime Minister will be aware that this is the latest in a long list of failings at Bradford Council children’s services, where political correctness appears to have been put before the welfare of children. I have no confidence in Bradford Council’s leadership to deliver children’s services. Since the death of Star, I am pleased that the Government have sent in a commissioner."

Bouncer and security guard Savannah Brockhill, the 28-year-old former partner of Star’s mother, was found guilty of murdering the 16-month-old.