Cyril Smith - Knowledge

1068:, an exposé of the child abuse committed by Smith. Danczuk alleged that Smith was part of a high-level paedophile ring and that Smith had used his influence to escape prosecution. Danczuk said: "Once you looked beyond the jolly clown playing for the camera, there was a sickening, dark heart. This wasn't just about abuse, it was about power – and a cover-up that reached from Rochdale all the way to the very top of the Establishment." Danczuk said that in the 1980s police discovered child pornography belonging to Smith, but he escaped justice. Danczuk described Smith as "a predatory paedophile and a prolific offender who would target the most vulnerable boys." He said: "A lot of manpower went into investigating Smith over the years, but the only thing he was ever convicted for was mis-selling a lottery ticket." 1075:, the former Liberal leader, said he had confronted Smith about his "unusual" behaviour with boys at a hostel in Rochdale. Following allegations published in 1979, Steel said that Smith confessed to spanking boys and conducting intimate "medical examinations" on them but was allowed to remain as a Liberal MP. Steel said: "I asked Cyril Smith about it. I was half expecting him to say it was all wrong, and I would have been urging him to sue to save his reputation. To my surprise he said the report was correct." Steel said that Smith had a supervisory role in institutions in Rochdale where he was involved in 1308: 969:(CPS) said that Smith should have been charged with crimes of abuse more than 40 years earlier. In a statement, the GMP said Smith had committed "physical and sexual abuse". Smith was never charged, although investigations were undertaken in 1970, 1998, and 1999. The method of assessing the probability of a conviction has changed since 1970, and the decision not to charge Smith then necessitated the outcome of the 1998 investigation. Following the sexual abuse allegations, Rochdale Council removed a 1336: 298: 1364: 1322: 1350: 4955: 4945: 55: 1294: 947:

about the incident in 1968 when he left the school, but that when he did so, "everyone made the same comment that the person in question was a very important, powerful man". Neal said that he lost two front teeth and needed stitches to a head wound after Smith assaulted him for refusing to eat a potted meat sandwich.

452:—have been implicated in covering up Smith's alleged crimes. In 2015, it emerged that Smith had been arrested in the early 1980s in relation to some of these offences; however, a high-level cover-up reportedly led to destruction of evidence, Smith's rapid release within hours, and the invocation of the 981:

to say that he was sexually abused by Smith at a council-run residential special school. Chris Marshall broke down in tears during his interview when describing the sexual abuse he said took place at Knowl View school in Rochdale in the early 1980s. He said that as a nine-year-old boy he was taken to

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to discuss forming a new centrist party. In 1980, Smith described UK unemployment figures of two million jobless people as "a disgrace", stating: "They represent a sick society, and are not acceptable to live with." In 1981, he was involved in moves to create "a party with a new image" but, according

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In June 2014, Detective Chief Superintendent Russ Jackson of Greater Manchester Police admitted the force's previous investigations into abuse linked to Smith at Rochdale Knowl View residential school "fell well short" of what would be expected today. Allegations were made that a paedophile ring had

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after he found Smith in the home of a known sex offender with two drunk teenage boys and a police sergeant in civilian clothes. The retired officer said that he was summoned to a meeting with a senior officer at Stockport Police Station and told "in no uncertain terms" not to say anything about it.

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programme "The Paedophile MP: How Cyril Smith Got Away With It" quoted the Crown Prosecution Service as claiming that they had not prosecuted Smith for crimes of abuse because he had been given an assurance in 1970 that he would not be prosecuted, and that prevented them from subsequently reopening

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councillor Alan Neal alleged that at the age of eleven in 1964, during Smith's membership of the Labour Party, he was beaten by Smith at a hostel for boys. Neal said: "I'm speaking now because someone has taken a right decision to raise this issue with the authorities". He added that he told police

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regulations were coming up for debate in the next parliamentary session. A House of Commons speech Smith delivered was almost identical to one prepared for him by the company. He said "the public at large are not at risk from asbestos" in his speech about a substance then long-known to be lethal if

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Another alleged victim of abuse by Smith waived his right to anonymity in November 2012 to claim that Smith smacked him and stroked his buttocks when he was a teenager at a Rochdale care home in the 1960s. Barry Fitton said he was spanked "very, very hard" by Smith and that he was left in tears by

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were travelling to Rochdale to have sex with Knowl View boys aged between eight and thirteen. Greater Manchester Police said there were 21 suspects, 14 of whom it had identified, including Smith. In July 2014, Rochdale council's inquiry into child abuse linked to Smith at Knowl View residential

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In 1952, Smith was elected a Labour councillor for the Falinge ward of Rochdale. By 1954, he was chairman of Rochdale Council's Establishment Committee. In 1963 Smith switched committee roles to be responsible for Estates which included overseeing residential and town centre development. He was

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During the 1960s Smith was active on many Rochdale Council committees regarding youth activities. These included: Rochdale Youth Orchestra, Rochdale Youth Theatre Workshop, governorship of 29 Rochdale schools and chairmanship of the Youth Committee, Youth Employment Committee and the Education

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Smith's large size and capacity for blunt speaking and popular touch made him one of the most recognisable British politicians of the 1970s and 1980s. His nickname, "Big Cyril", was the title of his autobiography. Smith made many popular television appearances: he sang "She's a Lassie from

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revealed that Smith had been arrested in the early 1980s in relation to his participation in a paedophile ring, but a high-level cover-up reportedly led to him being released within hours, the evidence destroyed and the investigating officers prevented from discussing the matter under the

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reported that police were investigating claims that Smith sexually abused boys at the London guest house. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police later said: "We can confirm Cyril Smith visited the premises." A 16-year-old boy was allegedly sexually abused by Smith at Elm Guest House. MP

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to Smith from the town hall. GMP Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood said: "Although Smith cannot be charged or convicted posthumously, from the overwhelming evidence we have it is right and proper we should publicly recognise that young boys were sexually and physically abused".

530:(MP). Smith served in many roles, including as Sunday School superintendent, trustee, and chair of the trustees. His Unitarian faith intersected with his Liberal politics. Smith credited the church with "helping develop his fiercely independent and anti-establishment streak". 392:

to prepare a speech for him in 1981 in which he declared that "the public at large are not at risk from asbestos". It was later revealed that Smith owned 1,300 shares in the company. In 2008, Smith said that 4,000 asbestos-related deaths a year in the UK was "relatively low".

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reflected on events in the 1970s with the conclusion: "Cyril was not an ideal Chief Whip because he did not handle a crisis well and had a tendency to say anything to a news camera." Smith was the only Liberal MP during his parliamentary career to advocate the return of the

484:. Smith described himself as "illegitimate, deprived and poor". Though he never knew the name of his father, he commented, "I suspect I know who he was." Smith lived with his mother Eva, grandmother and two half-siblings, Eunice and Norman, in a one-up one-down cottage ( 1102:

in London in 1978. Smith allegedly insisted that the boy remove his underpants before attempting to fondle him. A spokesman for the Liberal Democrats said: "Cyril Smith's acts were vile and repugnant and we have nothing but sympathy for those whose lives he ruined."

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12 pounds (about 190 kilogrammes or 418 pounds). A common joke on the size of the Parliamentary Liberal Party in the early 1970s was that only one taxi would be needed to transport the entire party; after Smith's election, the party could fill two taxis.

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as speakers. Of all the many tributes, the then-current leader of Rochdale Council summed him up: "He simply was politics for Rochdale." The service was led by the minister of his local Unitarian church, of which he had been a lifelong member.

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A report released by the Crown Prosecution Service in July 2014 showed that in 1970 a police detective investigating Smith presented evidence to his superior of Smith's abuse of young boys at a care home in Rochdale, but no action was taken.

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refused to hold an inquiry into what he called the "repugnant" actions of Smith. Clegg said: "My party, the Liberal Democrats, did not know about these actions." Clegg stated that the child abuse allegations were a matter for the police.

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In December 2012, Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk alleged that Smith raped some of his victims. Danczuk said: "There is no doubt that Cyril Smith seriously sexually abused young boys: why the CPS didn't prosecute more recently is puzzling".

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whilst in the post). In her work as a cleaner at the town hall, Smith's mother was banned from entering the police station – likewise based in the building – because she would search through its bins for information to help her son.

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stated in September 2021, with reference to his MBE and knighthood, that "The Forfeiture Committee can confirm that had Cyril Smith been convicted of the crimes of which he is accused, forfeiture proceedings would have commenced."

924:. Smith never publicly denied the accusations of abuse or took legal action in response to those accusations. After his death, the allegations were denied by his family. The Press Office of the leader of the Liberal Party, 3888: 2852: 1005:. Robinson said that he was asked by MI5 to send to London a police dossier that had been kept in a safe in his office which he said was "thick" with allegations from boys claiming they had been abused by Smith. 3765: 3872: 4843: 444:

In April 2014, it was reported that there had been 144 complaints against Smith from victims as young as eight years of age. Attempts to prosecute Smith had been blocked. Public authorities—including

4210: 361:, from 1950 and became mayor in 1966. He subsequently switched parties again and entered Parliament as a Liberal in 1972, winning his Rochdale seat on five further occasions. Smith was appointed the 1258:

in November 1992. After a series of allegations of child sexual abuse, over a span of 30 years, came to light following his death, he was posthumously stripped of this honour by a unanimous vote of

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Smith died of cancer in a Rochdale nursing home on 3 September 2010. He had made detailed plans for his own funeral, which was held in the Great Hall of Rochdale Town Hall and included

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by his manager in the tax office to either choose the civil service or politics. He left his job at the tax office and then worked as an office boy at Fothergill & Harvey's mill in

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in September 1976 saying he was "deeply concerned about the investigative activities of the BBC", especially relating to "the private lives of certain MPs". Former children's minister

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school was halted at the request of police. Greater Manchester Police asked the authority to suspend their inquiry while detectives investigated claims of an institutional cover-up.

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In April 2014, following reports that there had been 144 complaints against Smith and that attempts to prosecute him had always been blocked, the President of the Liberal Democrats,

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described Smith's letters as "bully-boy tactics". Loughton said: "It was an abuse of position that somebody as an MP was saying, 'You shouldn't look at us, we're above the law.'"

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The alleged incident took place in 1988 at a house in Stockport after a complaint that the occupant had committed a lewd act in his window in front of a newspaper boy.

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news programme, Smith responded to the claims he had helped cover up the dangers of asbestos as "absolute rubbish". After his death, he was described by journalist

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would investigate claims dating from before 1974. The police said it would look at whether investigations had taken place into Smith during the 1980s and 1990s.

3436: 4012: 1090:, said that his party needed to answer "serious questions" about who knew that Smith had faced allegations of sexual assault. However, Liberal Democrat leader 581:

documentary series, in an episode titled "Santa Claus for a Year". In 1966 he was appointed chairman of the Education Committee overseeing the introduction of

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magazine: "I haven't had a lot of time for courting women ... I've tended to be married to politics". Smith was a friend of the mother of broadcasters

4202: 616:. Controversy was sparked by Rochdale Liberals when the parliamentary candidate, Garth Pratt, was deselected to make way for Smith's return to the party. 5089: 5024: 1152: 3685: 2390: 593:. According to his autobiography, Smith was found guilty of an offence relating to public lotteries and bound over to keep the peace for twelve months. 2100: 704:'s 1988 bill to reduce the time limit for abortions was talked out by MPs, he referred to other members as "murderers in the womb". The speaker of the 5084: 5079: 4553: 4005: 4242: 2056: 380:

In later years, Smith's public esteem was considerably marred by the allegation that he had been involved in a cover-up of a health risk at a local

4884: 1891: 1397: 3506: 2356: 1943: 519:. The mill was owned by the Harveys, a notable Liberal family, but Smith claimed the director Charles Harvey knew nothing of his job application. 3587: 1511: 918:

he co-founded. The matter was investigated by the police, but Smith was not prosecuted. The story was repeated in the same month by the magazine

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said: "I am deeply shocked and horrified by these terrible allegations and my thoughts are with the victims who had the courage to speak out".

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at any price". He would later express the view that the Liberal Party would have been "better off" without being "shackled to the SDP". After

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After leaving Westminster and the death of his mother Eva in 1994, Smith was invited by a lifelong friend, a public relations manager at the

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Smith's younger brother Norman followed him into local politics, as councillor, mayor, and president of the local Liberal Democrat chapter.

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by Lancaster University in 1993. Owing to the allegations of child sexual abuse this honorary degree was posthumously revoked in May 2021.

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upon the parties' merger. Throughout much of his career, he maintained a high profile in the media and became a well-known public figure.

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was made aware of allegations against Smith before he was knighted in 1988, although she gave him the "benefit of the doubt" because the

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until 1970. His subsequent return to the Liberal Party, and his election as a Liberal MP, caused surprise after his role in opposing

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had previously investigated him and had decided not to prosecute him due to lack of evidence. Shortly after, a BBC investigation on

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In February 2006, Smith was taken to hospital after collapsing at his Rochdale home. He had been weakened by dehydration and low

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said he was convinced that there was a "network of paedophiles" operating in the House of Commons who helped to protect Smith.

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at the Elm Guest House were looking into allegations that senior politicians abused children in the 1980s and escaped justice.

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of "a powerful paedophile network linked to Parliament and No 10", it was reported that Scotland Yard detectives investigating

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appointed the Labour Mayor of Rochdale in 1966, with his mother, Eva, acting as mayoress (she retained her job as a cleaner in

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on Smith and one other man. Smith was a governor at the school and allegedly had his own set of keys. Liberal Democrat leader

4863: 4289: 3941: 3937: 3845: 3186: 2041: 1605: 958:(GMP) announced it would investigate allegations that Smith had sexually abused boys at a hostel in Rochdale after 1974, and 851: 701: 629: 527: 445: 335: 331: 233: 228: 2683: 4833: 4718: 3950: 1211: 633: 556: 552: 504: 485: 343: 4853: 481: 2710: 5039: 4778: 1682: 437:(GMP) Assistant Chief Constable Steve Heywood said there was "overwhelming evidence" that young boys were sexually and 4868: 4399: 4139: 3819: 3802: 3489:"Former officers asked to help with investigation into the alleged cover up of child sex abuse linked to Cyril Smith" 1170:, the Home Secretary, called for immunity for whistle-blowers in the case. Reports also emerged of Smith's arrest by 1119:

in 1976 by asking the corporation not to investigate the "private lives of certain MPs". According to letters in the

854:". Like several other prominent British MPs in the 1980s, he was regularly parodied in the satirical television show 807: 544: 516: 5004: 4672: 4389: 4274: 3921: 433:(CPS) formally admitted that Smith should have been charged with such abuse during his lifetime. In November 2012, 418:. After his death, the allegations were denied by his family. The Press Office of the leader of the Liberal Party, 3393: 4999: 4904: 4818: 4813: 4284: 4079: 863:

Smith is believed to have been the heaviest British MP ever: at 6' 2" (188 cm), he was reported to weigh 29

726:(T&N), which was based in his constituency, and was once the world's largest manufacturer of materials using 3660: 4697: 4374: 4354: 4349: 4044: 2777: 1377: 1013: 496: 422:, commented, "All he seems to have done is spanked a few bare bottoms". After his death, formal allegations of 314: 40: 3740: 940:, the Labour MP for Rochdale, Smith's former seat, called for an inquiry into alleged acts of abuse by Smith. 730:. In the summer recess of 1981, Smith wrote to Sydney Marks, head of personnel at T&N, informing him that 5074: 5069: 5064: 5059: 5049: 4755: 4465: 4099: 4074: 2562:"House of Commons, 13 November 2012, "Backbench Business — Child Sexual Exploitation", Simon Danczuk, 4.29pm" 735:

inhaled. A year later he revealed he owned 1,300 shares in T&N. Interviewed in September 2008 by a local

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On 28 November 2012, an alleged victim waived his right to anonymity in a television interview with

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Smith joined the Liberal Party in 1945 and was a member of the National Executive Committee of the

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of sexual abuse allegations against Smith which police claimed was "lost" was actually seized by

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in June 1975 but later resigned on health grounds. In his later years as an MP, Smith opposed an

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in June 1975, and faced pressure from the press in the wake of a scandal involving party leader

4828: 4232: 4190: 4126: 1968: 873: 669: 605: 374: 327: 161: 3618: 3187:"Police admit '90s probe into Knowl View abuse scandal 'fell well short' of today's standards" 2955: 2031: 672:. The man's mother repeatedly approached Smith for help, but he declined to take the case on. 4439: 4279: 4220: 4144: 3535: 1341: 1099: 943: 864: 3264:"Home Office could be called in to investigate 'child abuse cover-up' at Cyril Smith school" 3237: 3212: 2899: 2826: 2730: 2657: 2605: 2579: 2543: 2161: 426:

were made against him, leading authorities to conclude that he was a prolific sex offender.

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published a Cambridge House, Knowl View and Rochdale Investigation Report in April 2018.

1076: 559:, he was advised by the losing Liberal candidate for Stockport, Reg Hewitt, to join the 3979: 3540: 1240: 911: 723: 652: 568: 508: 423: 405: 389: 362: 323: 178: 137: 60: 3089:"Cyril Smith admitted spanking and touching boys, but I let him stay, says Lord Steel" 1656: 1307: 4823: 4723: 4530: 4525: 4510: 4505: 4475: 4404: 3841: 3815: 3798: 3606: 2037: 1591: 1519: 1485: 1405: 1355: 1236: 1148: 1083:

stated, and no action had been taken on them. So there was nothing more I could do."

1079:. Steel said of the abuse allegations: "They had been investigated by the police, as 959: 780: 688: 318: 145: 44: 1107:

been operating for decades in the town of Rochdale and that men from as far away as

4772: 4632: 4612: 4520: 2930:"'Influential' politician visited guest house at centre of child sex investigation" 1299: 847: 753: 705: 3114: 3002: 2279: 349:

Smith was first active in local politics as a Liberal in 1945 before switching to

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In May 2014, it was alleged that Smith had molested an 11-year-old boy at the

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In 2012, after his death and following allegations of child sexual abuse, the

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and did not stand for re-election in 1992; however, he remained loyal to the

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Protection of Children and Prevention of Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2005

2632:"Former East Lancs mayor backs call for Sir Cyril Smith child abuse inquiry" 2087: 4647: 4627: 4617: 4444: 4409: 4161: 4134: 3882: 2715: 2443: 1128: 878: 831: 762: 3437:"Home secretary: Cyril Smith cover-up claims 'could lead to prosecutions'" 1478:"Police probe claim that Cyril Smith was arrested with child abuse images" 4743: 4662: 4171: 4156: 3972: 3930: 3766:"List of individuals who have forfeited their honour (since August 2023)" 3418: 3366: 3340: 3289: 2280:

BBC News, "Former Liberal Democrat MP Cyril Smith dies", 3 September 2010

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with a large swing from Labour to the Liberals, and a majority of 5,171.

419: 414: 256: 199: 2507: 2305:"'Paedophiles' Cyril Smith & Jimmy Savile Were Friends For 40 Years" 1321: 928:, commented, "All he seems to have done is spanked a few bare bottoms". 297: 4637: 4597: 3989: 3213:"Knowl View: Rochdale Council 'misled' police amid school abuse claims" 1369: 1177:

In 2015, a retired police officer said that he was threatened with the

1091: 1087: 987: 839: 838:, appeared in an advert for a "greatest hits" album by 1980s pop group 814: 644: 477: 469: 385: 358: 221: 90: 2140:"Sir Cyril Smith – A personal note from Rochdale Euro-MP Chris Davies" 1398:"Lord Steel says he believed Cyril Smith abuse claims but did not act" 756:

that Smith be stripped of the knighthood he had been granted in 1988.

4784: 4760: 4748: 4642: 4607: 4434: 3957: 3316:"Cyril Smith: 'evidence of sex abuse' was overruled CPS report shows" 1824:"Miscarriage of justice corrected as jury finds man guilty of murder" 1633: 1349: 1157: 1108: 1043: 796: 789: 745: 722:

accused Smith of improper conduct in his connection with the company

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factory. In 2008, there were calls for Smith to be stripped of his

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the investigation under the law at the time. Political journalist

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when he took the party to second place, Smith won the seat at the

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to prevent the investigating officers from discussing the matter.

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In July 2014, it was reported that Smith had put pressure on the

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Danczuk, with researcher and campaigner Matthew Baker, published

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in the district. In the same year he was appointed Member of the

3507:"Cambridge House, Knowl View and Rochdale Investigation Report" 3462:"Cyril Smith M1 arrest to be probed by Northamptonshire Police" 1512:"Cyril Smith child abuse inquiry finds no evidence of cover-up" 915: 664:. One of his constituents was jailed for sixteen years for the 409: 2684:"Policy inquiry launched in Sir Cyril Smith abuse allegations" 2544:"Rochdale MP calls for Cyril Smith 'indecent assault' inquiry" 3419:"Cyril Smith child abuse inquiry 'scrapped after his arrest'" 2731:"Sir Cyril Smith: Former MP sexually abused boys, police say" 547:

in 1948 and 1949. From 1948 to 1950, he was Liberal agent in

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after it was revealed that he had asked the asbestos company

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Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Rochdale

4027: 2391:"Rochdale makes its mark at last, to the regret of Mr Brown" 3238:"Cyril Smith sex abuse allegations: Seven men come forward" 2101:"National newspaper calls for Sir Cyril to lose knighthood" 1715: 1174:, where he was again released in mysterious circumstances. 3825:"Cyril Smith", entry by Tim Farron in Brack et al. (eds.) 3290:"Cyril Smith 'put pressure on BBC' over investigating MPs" 2371: 2029: 1727: 752:

The controversy led, in November 2008, to a parliamentary

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officer with Lancashire Police in the 1970s, said that a

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Reflections from Rochdale: As I Saw it and as I See it

3341:"Margaret Thatcher 'told of Cyril Smith abuse claims'" 3003:"Paedophile ring protected Sir Cyril Smith, MP claims" 2606:"Councillor accuses Sir Cyril Smith of physical abuse" 1056:

said that he found this explanation incomprehensible.

499:. After leaving school, he began work at the Rochdale 412:

he co-founded. The story was repeated by the magazine

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Liberal Democrats (UK) MPs for English constituencies

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in 1988, allowing him to be known as Sir Cyril Smith.

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candidate Charles Harvey. Smith said he was given an

322:(28 June 1928 – 3 September 2010) was a British 3838: