Labour MP Simon Danczuk may unmask someone 'much more important'
He may use parliamentary privilege protection to name the former MP
Danczuk has urged the politician to come forward of his own volition
Allegation: Simon Danczuk, Labour MP for
Rochdale, said he may unmask someone 'much more important' than Cyril
Smith who allegedly abused boys at the notorious Elm Guest House in
Barnes, South-West London
The
MP who exposed the paedophilia of the late Cyril Smith is threatening
to name another former senior politician alleged to have had sex with
children.
Simon
Danczuk, Labour MP for Rochdale, where one of his predecessors was
Smith, said he may unmask someone 'much more important' who allegedly
abused boys at the notorious Elm Guest House in Barnes, South-West
London, which was used as a venue for a paedophile ring of VIPs.
'I
have been contacted by people making serious allegations.' The MP says
he could use parliamentary privilege - which would give him legal
immunity - to name the former influential MP.
He
added: 'It would be best for him to come forward of his own volition,
but I would consider using privilege to name the parliamentarian.'
Mr
Danczuk spoke as it emerged that disgraced former Co-op Bank chairman
Paul Flowers faces questioning over an alleged cover-up of child abuse
at Knowl View School, a special school in Rochdale linked to local
Liberal MP Smith.
Over three decades, boys as young as seven were repeatedly abused at the school by Smith and his cohorts.
It
was described as 'a sweet shop for paedophiles' and pupils were driven
to public toilets to have sex with men who had travelled from all over
the North.
In
2012 - two years after Smith's death - the Crown Prosecution Service
admitted the MP should have been charged with historic child sex
offences.
At
the time of the alleged cover-up, ex-Methodist minister Flowers was
vice-chairman of the social services committee at Rochdale Council,
which oversaw Knowl View School.
He is to face claims that he and other Rochdale councillors ignored a series of damning reports detailing the abuse.
This
week Flowers, 63, who has been charged with three counts relating to
possession of cocaine, ketamine and crystal meth, will receive a letter
saying he must answer questions from Andrew Warnock QC, who is leading
the investigation into the council's handling of the allegations.
Predatory: MP Cyril Smith, left, knew Paul Flowers, right, during their time together on Rochdale Council
Nine
others are also part of the investigation. There is no suggestion
Flowers, who was also on the council's education committee, was involved
in any form of abuse at Knowl View, but his time on the council
coincides with key developments in the alleged cover-up.
Colin
Lambert, leader of Rochdale Council, said: 'The letter is quite strong,
and they should be worried because the allegation is that they took
part in a cover-up. So if they knew and decided not to do anything that
is a very serious matter.
'There are criminal issues here.'
Fears
that vulnerable young boys were being abused at the school were
repeatedly raised between 1988 and 1992, when Flowers held key council
posts.
Three reports were issued detailing serious sexual abuse at Knowl View, yet no one was ever held to account.
It
was not until 1994 that the matter was raised again when the reports
were discovered by the school's head of care, Martin Digan.
Mr Warnock's inquiry will cover the years 1985 to 1995 and will focus on whether there was a cover-up.
Three reports were issued detailing serious sexual abuse at Knowl View, yet no one was ever held to account
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.