Margaret Hodge is facing calls for her resignation after social workers accused her of failing to confront one of Britain's worst child abuse scandals during her time as leader of Islington council.

Two former officials at the London borough have claimed publicly for the first time that the new minister for children failed to back them over allegations that youngsters in care had been subjected to sex abuse.

Eleanor Laing, the shadow minister for children, said: "I don't see how anyone can have faith in Margaret Hodge to do this vitally important job properly... Why has Tony Blair chosen her to speak for children now?"

Hodge said that she "deeply regretted" the abuse of children but refused to yield to resignation demands.

Speaking to the BBC, she said: "I've had 12 years to think about those issues, to read about them, to talk to people about them, to learn about them.

"I think that equips me better than most, having been through that experience, in thinking about how we now create a safe environment for those children at risk, and really put the children at the heart of all the policies and the structures that we develop.

"There were terrible things happening in children's homes, and I deeply, deeply, deeply regret it. Never a month goes by when I don't think about it."