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Harriet Harman expresses 'regret' after Daily Mail claims Harriet Harman expresses 'regret' after Daily Mail claims
(about 1 hour later)
Harriet Harman has said she "regrets" that a civil liberties group she used to work for had links to pro-paedophile campaigners in the 1970s and 1980s. Harriet Harman has said she "regrets" a civil liberties group she once worked for had links to pro-paedophile campaigners in the 1970s but insisted she will not personally apologise.
The National Council for Civil Liberties granted "affiliate" status to the Paedophile Information Exchange.The National Council for Civil Liberties granted "affiliate" status to the Paedophile Information Exchange.
The Daily Mail has urged the deputy Labour leader to explain this link.The Daily Mail has urged the deputy Labour leader to explain this link.
Ms Harman accused the paper of running a "smear campaign". Her spokeswoman later said Ms Harman "regrets the existence of" the pro-paedophile group. Ms Harman's spokeswoman said she "regrets the existence of" the group but had "nothing to apologise for".
Appearing on BBC Two's Newsnight programme on Monday, she repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether it had been a mistake to allow the Paedophile Information Exchange to be affiliated to the civil liberties group.Appearing on BBC Two's Newsnight programme on Monday, she repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether it had been a mistake to allow the Paedophile Information Exchange to be affiliated to the civil liberties group.
'Titivating photographs''Titivating photographs'
"It is not the case that my work, when I was at the National Council for Civil Liberties, was influenced by PIE, was apologising for paedophilia or colluding with paedophilia. That is an unfair inference and a smear," she said."It is not the case that my work, when I was at the National Council for Civil Liberties, was influenced by PIE, was apologising for paedophilia or colluding with paedophilia. That is an unfair inference and a smear," she said.
"My work has always been, when I was at the National Council for Civil Liberties and when I have been in politics and ministerial office, to protect children, especially from child abuse.""My work has always been, when I was at the National Council for Civil Liberties and when I have been in politics and ministerial office, to protect children, especially from child abuse."
Her spokeswoman later told the BBC: "Of course she regrets any organisation's involvement with them, including the National Council for Civil Liberties. But they were immaterial to her work.Her spokeswoman later told the BBC: "Of course she regrets any organisation's involvement with them, including the National Council for Civil Liberties. But they were immaterial to her work.
"She does not regret joining the National Council for Civil Liberties. By the time she arrived they were very much under the radar and her work focused on other things, such as marches, apartheid and trade unions.""She does not regret joining the National Council for Civil Liberties. By the time she arrived they were very much under the radar and her work focused on other things, such as marches, apartheid and trade unions."
However, she insisted again on Tuesday that she had "nothing to apologise for" and said that it should be the newspaper that was apologising.
From 1978 to 1982 Ms Harman was legal officer at the National Council for Civil Liberties, which was the predecessor to campaign group Liberty.From 1978 to 1982 Ms Harman was legal officer at the National Council for Civil Liberties, which was the predecessor to campaign group Liberty.
The Paedophile Information Exchange - a group that spoke positively about adults attracted to children - was granted affiliate status with the National Council for Civil Liberties before Ms Harman joined.The Paedophile Information Exchange - a group that spoke positively about adults attracted to children - was granted affiliate status with the National Council for Civil Liberties before Ms Harman joined.
On Monday, she released a statement saying the Daily Mail was "not entitled" to "smear me with innuendo because they disagree with me politically and hate my values".On Monday, she released a statement saying the Daily Mail was "not entitled" to "smear me with innuendo because they disagree with me politically and hate my values".
Ms Harman then told Newsnight: "It is ironic that they're accusing me of supporting indecency in relation to children when they themselves are not above producing photographs of very young girls, titivating photographs, in bikinis."Ms Harman then told Newsnight: "It is ironic that they're accusing me of supporting indecency in relation to children when they themselves are not above producing photographs of very young girls, titivating photographs, in bikinis."
'Despicable views'
On Tuesday she tweeted the message "when it comes to decency and sexualisation of children, would you take lessons from the Daily Mail?" alongside a picture of a Daily Mail website article featuring a picture of a 12-year-old in her "first bikini shoot".On Tuesday she tweeted the message "when it comes to decency and sexualisation of children, would you take lessons from the Daily Mail?" alongside a picture of a Daily Mail website article featuring a picture of a 12-year-old in her "first bikini shoot".
In her statement Ms Harman also said anyone could apply to join the National Council for Civil Liberties upon payment of a fee, and it had had about 6,000 members and nearly 1,000 affiliated organisations when she joined.In her statement Ms Harman also said anyone could apply to join the National Council for Civil Liberties upon payment of a fee, and it had had about 6,000 members and nearly 1,000 affiliated organisations when she joined.
'Despicable views'
The newspaper initially accused her of having "tried to water down child pornography laws" during her time at the National Council for Civil Liberties, and then said she had failed to answer the central questions in its report.The newspaper initially accused her of having "tried to water down child pornography laws" during her time at the National Council for Civil Liberties, and then said she had failed to answer the central questions in its report.
It has said Ms Harman, the shadow culture secretary, and her husband, Labour MP Jack Dromey, who also used to work at the National Council for Civil Liberties, had instead used "pedantry and obfuscation" to counter its claims.It has said Ms Harman, the shadow culture secretary, and her husband, Labour MP Jack Dromey, who also used to work at the National Council for Civil Liberties, had instead used "pedantry and obfuscation" to counter its claims.
Former Labour Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, who as the the National Council for Civil Liberties' general secretary from 1974 to 1983 has also featured in the Daily Mail's coverage, has yet to comment on the story. Ms Hewitt stood down as an MP in 2010. Former Labour Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, who as the the National Council for Civil Liberties' general secretary from 1974 to 1983 has also featured in the Daily Mail's coverage, has yet to comment on the story.
A spokesman for the newspaper said: "For 10 weeks now the Mail has repeatedly asked three leading Labour figures to answer questions about the involvement of the NCCL, a body in which they played leading roles, with a vile paedophile group. The Daily Mail's assistant editor Andrew Pierce told the BBC that the trio needed to answer why they had "in any way" allowed the NCCL to associate with the Paedophile Information Exchange.
"The belated statements today (Monday) of Ms Harman and her husband - full of pedantry and obfuscation - failed to answer the Mail's central points." "It is not a smear to keep asking the same question," he said.
Mr Dromey, in a statement released on Monday, said he had made "repeated public condemnations" of the pro-paedophile group, describing the accusations against him as "untrue".Mr Dromey, in a statement released on Monday, said he had made "repeated public condemnations" of the pro-paedophile group, describing the accusations against him as "untrue".
"Sexual abuse of children is evil and I have always viewed paedophiles and any group associated with them as evil," he added. "Sexual abuse of children is evil and I have always viewed paedophiles and any group associated with them as evil," he added. During my time on the NCCL executive, I was at the forefront of repeated public condemnations of PIE and their despicable views."
"During my time on the NCCL executive, I was at the forefront of repeated public condemnations of PIE and their despicable views."
The National Council for Civil Liberties was founded in 1934 as a result of fears that the right to peaceful protest was under threat.The National Council for Civil Liberties was founded in 1934 as a result of fears that the right to peaceful protest was under threat.
According to Liberty, its successor group, the founders' aim was to defend "the whole spirit of British freedom".According to Liberty, its successor group, the founders' aim was to defend "the whole spirit of British freedom".
The Paedophile Information Exchange was an international organisation of people who traded obscene material.The Paedophile Information Exchange was an international organisation of people who traded obscene material.
It made national newspaper headlines in the early 1980s when members faced charges of publishing and sending articles through the post, and was disbanded in 1984.It made national newspaper headlines in the early 1980s when members faced charges of publishing and sending articles through the post, and was disbanded in 1984.
Its ex-leader reportedly said paedophilia was "as much a healthy part of the natural diversity of our species as red hair or left-handedness".Its ex-leader reportedly said paedophilia was "as much a healthy part of the natural diversity of our species as red hair or left-handedness".