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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" a civil liberties group she once worked for had links to pro-paedophile campaigners in the 1970s but insisted she will not personally apologise. 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 had "nothing to apologise for".
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's spokeswoman said she "regrets the existence of" the group but had "nothing to apologise for". But Ms Harman has accused the newspaper of "smear and innuendo" and said it "should be apologising".
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'
"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."
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."
However, Ms Harman insisted again on Tuesday that she had "nothing to apologise for" and said that it should be the newspaper that should apologise.
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 (PIE) - a group that spoke positively about adults attracted to children - was granted affiliate status with the National Council for Civil Liberties in 1975.
'Vile organisation'
In a TV interview, Ms Harman said: "I'm not going to apologise because I've got nothing to apologise for.
"I very much regret that this vile organisation, PIE, ever existed and that it ever had anything to do with NCCL, but it did not affect my work at NCCL."
She added: "They had been pushed to the margins before I actually went to NCCL and to allege that I was involved in collusion with paedophilia or apologising for paedophilia is quite wrong and is a smear.
"It is actually not me that should be apologising for something that I haven't done. It is the Daily Mail that should be apologising for their smear and innuendo."
Appearing on BBC Two's Newsnight 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.
She said her work had always been "to protect children, especially from child abuse".
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." 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 photograph of a Daily Mail website article featuring a picture of a 12-year-old in her "first bikini shoot".
'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".
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.
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 has said she "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.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.
The Daily Mail's consultant 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 Daily Mail's consultant editor Andrew Pierce told the BBC the trio needed to answer why they had "in any way" allowed the National Council for Civil Liberties to associate with the Paedophile Information Exchange.
"It is not a smear to keep asking the same question," he said."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, 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. During my time on the NCCL executive, I was at the forefront of repeated public condemnations of PIE and their despicable views.""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."
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".