Baby P council chief hits back at 'absurd' reaction

Sharon Shoesmith refused to say she made any personal mistakes

surrounding the toddler's death – in spite of accepting there

were "errors of judgment" among staff.

Ms Shoesmith, who was dismissed from her 130,000-a-year post after a damning report by Ofsted inspectors, said politicians had been "reckless" as she spoke at an MPs' inquiry into child safety.

Giving evidence to the Education Committee, she added: "The whole sector is now motivated by fear of failure and not the conditions of success."

In her opening comments at Portcullis House, Westminster, she said: "There never was a doubt about how sorry I was, and everyone else at Haringey was, about the murder of Peter Connelly. Absolutely, no doubt at all.

"To construct a narrative which told the public that Peter Connelly died because Haringey was uniquely weak, sack everyone from the director to the social worker and all would be well was, quite frankly, absurd.

"The honest story will be told eventually. So I must start by telling you that if you believe the narrative put to the public by some members of the Press and some politicians, then we begin on different pages.

"For children, the impact has been far-reaching.

"Since 2008 the number coming into care has increased 30 per cent... The number we have subject to a child protection plan has doubled... Yet this wider net seems to have had little impact on the number of children who die."

Before she appeared, her invitation by MPs was condemned as "an insult" to the memory of the 17-month-old who endured horrendous injuries at the hands of his mother Tracey Connelly, her lover Steven Barker and their lodger, Barker's brother Jason Owen.

In spite of 60 visits from social workers, doctors and police, the little boy suffered 50 wounds over the final eight months of his life.

A series of reviews identified missed opportunities when officials could have saved him.

Ms Shoesmith, 57, was the first expert called by the committee as it examined current issues in safeguarding children.

It is also considering areas including accountability and inspection and will look at the policy direction of the Government.

She told the committee she did not "go into the realms of regret" after telling members how she had been dealing with death threats.

When asked by Labour MP Liz Kendall whether there were any mistakes, she said "there were issues" and "professional errors of judgment".

But she added: "I wouldn't have known the case."

Ms Kendall then asked if Ms Shoesmith had made any personal mistakes. She replied: "The question is very broad..."

When Ms Kendall interrupted, asking: "What would you have done differently?", Ms Shoesmith added: "That's one heck of a question, given what I have experienced with death threats and so on. I've brought myself back from the brink."

Ms Shoesmith said social workers were wrong to allow Baby P to remain with his family, adding "it was sad, very sad".

She said workers were left "deeply, deeply distressed" after his death.

"There were huge issues of confidence among the social workers there.

"The department went into turmoil during that period before the public knew."