MPs savage Hodge over her Islington record

Margaret Hodge came under a hail of criticism in her first big Commons outing as Children's Minister. A debate on child abuse was overtaken by a row over whether she is suitable for the job.

Tory critics seized on her record as leader of Islington council, where social workers warned her about abuse but she failed to take effective action.

In a series of bitter exchanges, Tory spokeswoman Eleanor Laing said the minister had failed to learn from her mistakes. The party's health spokesman, Tim Loughton, said the appointment was "fatally flawed" and had undermined government efforts to protect children.

As Ms Hodge accused her attackers of "shoddy opportunism", Speaker

Michael Martin was forced to step in and appeal for calm.

Education Secretary Charles Clarke weighed in behind his government colleague, calling her "an inspired and strong choice" for the job and saying: "She has a long and distinguished record in the area."

The Commons debate last night was called by the Tories to embarrass the Government over its delay in publishing its Green Paper on child protection.

Downing Street has said the launch was put off until Mr Blair could attend it in person, but many at Westminster believe it was postponed in the hope that the controversy surrounding Ms Hodge's appointment would die down.

Mr Loughton accused ministers of lacking a sense of urgency after they promised reforms in the wake of the death of Victoria Climbié®

He said: "What a terrible start for Ms Hodge as the first holder of this important, sensitive and much trumpeted post.

"We fear that the Green Paper will be further delayed by the new Minister being sidelined and sidetracked by having to defend herself now the truth is coming out about her failure to protect vulnerable children in Islington."

In a direct attack on Ms Hodge's record at Islington, Mrs Laing said: "She says that she has learned from her mistakes. Surely one of

the main lessons of her past is that words are not the same as actions, that producing politically correct speeches does not bring results."

Mrs Laing drew anger from the Labour benches when she said: "Islington was, of course, the first London borough to ban fox-hunting - but it wasn't very good at paedophilehunting."

Counter-attacking, Ms Hodge said the personalised attack demonstrated that "children to the Conservatives are really not more than a convenient political tool to be exploited to narrow political advantage".

She told Ms Laing: "I agree that actions are more important than words. Certainly my actions have done and will do more for children than your words ever can do."

Tony Blair's decision to appoint Ms Hodge Minister for Children was criticised after the Evening Standard produced documents which show she was told by social workers about child abuse in Islington two years before she previously claimed, but failed to take action.

She rejected pleas from the social workers who warned her to make extra resources available for an investigation.

At the end of the Commons debate, a Tory motion calling for the immediate publication of the green paper was defeated by 316 votes to 179.