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South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Shaun Wright: "I won't resign but I regret that more wasn't done at the time."
Under-pressure Shaun Wright has resigned from the Labour Party but has insisted he will remain police and crime commissioner for South Yorkshire.
Mr Wright has faced calls to step down after a report on child abuse in Rotherham, where he managed children's services between 2005 and 2010.
The report said at least 1,400 children were sexually exploited from 1997-2013, mainly by Pakistani-heritage gangs.
A Labour MP now wants a possible misconduct case against Mr Wright.
Meanwhile, former Rotherham council chief executive Mike Cuff has also said he had to "take my share of responsibility for the council's failure to prevent the appalling abuse which has been so clearly described in this independent report".
'Reiterate my apology'In a statement, Mr Wright said he had "formally" tendered his resignation from the Labour Party.
But Mr Wright insisted he was the most appropriate person to hold the office of commissioner (PCC).
"I remain committed to, and intend to remain in, my role as an Independent Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire," he said.
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Home Secretary Theresa May says Shaun Wright should "heed calls" to resign
"As a father, and a citizen of South Yorkshire, my thoughts are with the victims and their families and I reiterate my apology to them and take full responsibility for my part in the collective failures which took place at Rotherham Council during the time I was in office, and indeed to that end I resigned in 2010," he continued.
"I stand by my earlier comments that I've taken that experience to deliver a major transformation in the way South Yorkshire Police deals with horrific crimes such as child sexual exploitation, and much progress has been made since I was elected as commissioner in terms of supporting victims, taking preventive action, increasing awareness of the issue and bringing criminals to justice."
Position 'untenable'Shadow policing minister Jack Dromey had earlier told the BBC Mr Wright would be suspended from the Labour Party if he had not resigned by Thursday morning.
Now Labour backbencher John Mann MP is to write to Home Secretary Theresa May asking for the police to investigate whether a case of misconduct in public office could be brought against Mr Wright and others involved in the allegations in Rotherham.
Mr Mann said the inquiry should not be carried out by South Yorkshire Police, but by another force.
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Rotherham child abuse victim 'Emma' gives her account
Mrs May has said Mr Wright should "heed calls" to resign, though she stressed it was not her job to hire and fire PCCs.
"I think he has real questions to answer," she said.
Rotherham MP Sarah Champion has also called for Mr Wright's resignation, along with shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, shadow chancellor Ed Balls and shadow welfare minister Chris Bryant.
Harry Harpham, chairman of South Yorkshire's police and crime panel, which scrutinises the work of the South Yorkshire PCC, told the BBC's Today programme Mr Wright's position had become "untenable" and he should go "at the earliest opportunity"
He said: "He can only be removed from office by resigning or unless he commits a criminal offence.
"We are not able to remove him, however, I will seek an urgent meeting with Shaun to let him know my position."
'On my watch'Mr Cuff, who was the council's chief executive from 2004 to 2009, echoed Mr Wright's apology.
"It was on my watch that the organised abuse of young girls by a gang of Asian men came to light," he said.
"This led eventually to their conviction in 2010. I know that professional social workers and the police worked well together to support the abused girls and to secure the successful prosecution of their abusers. "
This "close co-operation" between agencies "holds the key to the effective protection of vulnerable young people in the future", he added.
The report, commissioned by the council, was published on Tuesday and revealed the massive level of abuse in Rotherham, mainly by Pakistani heritage criminal gangs.
The inquiry team noted fears among council staff of being labelled "racist" if they focused on victims' descriptions of the majority of abusers as "Asian" men.
Key findings of the report- Children as young as 11 were raped by multiple attackers, trafficked to other towns and cities in the north of England, abducted, beaten and intimidated.
- The "collective failures" of political, police and social care leadership were "blatant" over the first 12 years covered by the inquiry.
- Police were said to have given child sex exploitation no priority, regarding many child victims "with contempt" and failing to act on their abuse as a crime.
- The majority of those behind the abuse were described as Asian, while the majority of the reported victims were young white girls. The inquiry team noted fears among council staff of being labelled "racist" if they focused on victims' descriptions of the majority of abusers as "Asian" men.
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