WHILE recognising the serious nature of the charges outlined in the Ofsted report on the Children's Services Department in Wirral, the Tory group is being very hypocritical by asking for the resignation of councillors, since their own government appears to lack concern about the welfare of vulnerable children.

According to Sara Ogilvie from Liberty, under the Children and Social Work Bill working its way through the House of Lords, councils will be able to opt out of vital duties under almost every single law covering children’s social care since 1933.

This will affect more than eight decades of legislation, some of which was created in response to the most tragic cases of state failure like that of Victoria Climbié and Baby P.

Under the proposals, individual local authorities would be able to ask the education minister to exempt them from having to comply with any aspect of the children’s social care law "to test different ways of working with a view to achieving better outcomes... or achieving the same outcomes more efficiently".

An exemption would be granted for up to three years – and could then be extended for another three.

The ramifications and moral dubiousness of leaving vulnerable young people, care leavers and disabled children without vital legal protections in the name of achieving "outcomes more efficiently" are obvious, in particular given the precarious financial situations of many local authorities.

The rights of children and young people should sit front and centre of all legislation, policy, guidance and practice.

If the Tories are really concerned about protecting the care of vulnerable children then they should begin by telling the Prime Minister to scrap this astonishingly dangerous and undemocratic plan.

Audrey Moore by email