Former Liberal Party leader insists he did not know about sex abuse claims
But admits he once confronted 29-stone MP over rumour he spanked boys
Private Eye reported on investigation into allegations made by young men
Lord Steele said he was surprised when Smith confirmed the story as true
Smith was allowed to continue as member of Liberal Party despite claims
Lord Steel said although spanking is assault now, at the time it was normal
Cyril Smith confessed to spanking teenage boys and engaging in intimidate 'medical examinations' on them but was allowed to remain an MP, former Liberal Party leader Lord Steel has admitted.
Rejecting criticism that he had failed to expose sex abuse allegations against 29-stone Smith, who died in 2010, Lord Steel revealed he had confronted the paedophile politician over his 'unusual behavior' at a hostel in Rochdale in the 1970s.
In an extraordinary defence of his own - and the Liberal Party’s - conduct concerning the serial sex abuser, the peer again insisted he knew nothing else of Smith’s vile activities.
Claims: Ex-Liberal leader David Steel (right)
Lord Steel said there 'is no question' Cyril Smith (left) would be 'up
for assault now', but argued that at the time corporal punishment 'went
on'
Lord Steel claimed he confronted Smith over his behaviour at the Rochdale care home in 1979, after an article in Private Eye detailed how the Liberal Party MP spanked young boys’ bare bottoms.
The magazine had reported on an investigation published by the Rochdale Alternative Press which detailed claims made by a number of young men about Smith spanking boys.
Lord Steel said he confronted Cyril Smith over his
'unusual behavior' at a hostel in Rochdale
'He had some kind of supervisory role, I don't know what it was, in these institutions in Rochdale, which he reckoned entitled him to be involved in corporal punishment,' Lord Steel added.
Claiming the Rochdale hostel report was the extent of his knowledge of Smith's abusive behaviour, Lord Steel said: ‘All I knew was what was in Private Eye. Any member of the public could know that.'
Lord Steel, who led the Liberals between 1976 and 1988, said there ‘is no question he would be up for assault now’ but compared the child abuse claims to corporal punishment in schools.
‘We have to remember that this was a different era. Corporal punishment was permitted. It would be totally illegal now, there is no question he would be up for assault now. In those days it went on', he said.
Smith died in 2010 and two years later Greater Manchester Police began investigating claims he abused boys while secretary of Rochdale Hostel for Boys Association in the 1960s.
The allegations related to a time in the 1960s when Smith was a Labour councillor and had not yet entered Parliament.
Lord Steel insisted that he had ‘no locus’ in the affair. He told BBC Radio 4's World at One: ‘We are a political party, not a detective agency.’
But he said he would not have recommended Smith for a knighthood in 1988 if he had had ‘the slightest inkling’ of allegations that he abused young men while an MP.
Allegations: Lord Steel claimed he was only
aware
of a Private Eye article in 1979 detailing how the
29-stone
monster spanked young boys' bare bottoms
Lord Steel said that he found Smith's reported behaviour ‘odd’, but added: ‘The fact is these were allegations that were 10-15 years old.
‘I had no locus in the matter at all. He wasn't even a member of my party at that time.’
Asked if he had considered launching an internal party inquiry, Lord Steel replied: ‘Why should I? There was no allegation about his behaviour as an MP.
‘There are now allegations which have come to light since his death. These were very serious, but they were not known to us at the time.’
Probe: On Monday police announced a fresh probe into
an alleged cover-up of Smith's activities in Rochdale
Lord Steel said that the Private Eye report led to ‘gossip and tittle-tattle’ in the Commons about Smith, but insisted that there was no firm allegation about his behaviour as an MP.
‘Idle gossip is not a basis for any inquiry at all,’ he said.
‘Not a single story emerged, not even a rumour emerged about him misbehaving as an MP. If that had happened, of course I would have inquired.
‘If I had had the slightest inkling that that was going on, of course I would have taken action, but these were old allegations, publicly acknowledged, which the police had investigated.’
Lord Steel said it was for the police and not the Liberal Democrats to explain why no action was taken on the initial allegations.
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