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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Lord Steel says he quizzed Cyril Smith over sex claims | Lord Steel says he quizzed Cyril Smith over sex claims |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Lord Steel said he challenged Cyril Smith about allegations in 1979 he abused boys at a Rochdale hostel. | Lord Steel said he challenged Cyril Smith about allegations in 1979 he abused boys at a Rochdale hostel. |
| The ex-Liberal leader told BBC Radio 4's The World at One the claims in Private Eye dated back to Smith's time as a Labour councillor in the 1960s. | The ex-Liberal leader told BBC Radio 4's The World at One the claims in Private Eye dated back to Smith's time as a Labour councillor in the 1960s. |
| Smith told him police had investigated the claims and taken no action. | Smith told him police had investigated the claims and taken no action. |
| Asked if he had looked into rumours about Smith's behaviour while a Liberal MP, he said: "We are a political party - not a detective agency." | Asked if he had looked into rumours about Smith's behaviour while a Liberal MP, he said: "We are a political party - not a detective agency." |
| He added: "Idle gossip is not a basis for any inquiry at all and my basic point is not a single story emerged - not even a rumour emerged - about him misbehaving as an MP. | He added: "Idle gossip is not a basis for any inquiry at all and my basic point is not a single story emerged - not even a rumour emerged - about him misbehaving as an MP. |
| "If that had happened of course we would have inquired." | "If that had happened of course we would have inquired." |
| Cyril Smith, who was the Liberal MP for Rochdale from 1972 to 1992, died in 2010. | Cyril Smith, who was the Liberal MP for Rochdale from 1972 to 1992, died in 2010. |
| 'A different era' | 'A different era' |
| In 2012 Greater Manchester Police launched an investigation into historical claims Smith abused young boys in the 1960s while secretary of the Rochdale Hostel for Boys Association. | |
| He had been accused of abusing eight youngsters at the Cambridge Hostel in the town by spanking and touching them. | He had been accused of abusing eight youngsters at the Cambridge Hostel in the town by spanking and touching them. |
| Three separate files were passed to the director of public prosecutions and the Crown Prosecution Service, although on each occasion no prosecution was pursued. | Three separate files were passed to the director of public prosecutions and the Crown Prosecution Service, although on each occasion no prosecution was pursued. |
| Lord Steel, asked whether he should have acted in the 1970s in the light of the allegations about one of his MP's behaviour, said: "I had no locus in the matter at all. They were ancient allegations about his time as a local councillor. They were nothing to do with his life as an MP." | Lord Steel, asked whether he should have acted in the 1970s in the light of the allegations about one of his MP's behaviour, said: "I had no locus in the matter at all. They were ancient allegations about his time as a local councillor. They were nothing to do with his life as an MP." |
| Asked about allegations he had not taken the abuse claims seriously, Lord Steel said: "This was a different era. Corporal punishment was permitted. It would be totally illegal now. There would be no question he'd be up for assault now but in those days it went on." | Asked about allegations he had not taken the abuse claims seriously, Lord Steel said: "This was a different era. Corporal punishment was permitted. It would be totally illegal now. There would be no question he'd be up for assault now but in those days it went on." |
| Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said the party had asked every current Lib Dem MP and peer who was around at the time of Smith's alleged abuse if they had known anything and none had. | Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said the party had asked every current Lib Dem MP and peer who was around at the time of Smith's alleged abuse if they had known anything and none had. |
| Lord Steel said: "I don't think I was included in that. I don't remember being asked about it." | Lord Steel said: "I don't think I was included in that. I don't remember being asked about it." |