Victim of Cyril Smith Interviewed on Breakfast TV

TODAY on Breakfast TV Eddie Shorrock, a victim of Cyril Smith's special fake medicals in the 1960s at Rochdale's Cambridge House Hostel for boys, was interviewed about his experiences of Mr Smith.  Mr. Shorrock, who was one of the witnesses discovered by Northern Voices in the Autumn of 2012 before the Smith scandal broke, gave a dignified and restrained account on one episode with the dominant Rochdale politician standing over him and asking him to take his pants down and to bend over while Smith examined him.  Eddie also said that when he left the Hostel about six months later, Smith threatened him and told him not to relate what had happened to him while at Cambridge House.  Eddie was 17-years-old at the time, and last night he told Northern Voices that he was concerned that the family of Cyril Smith continued to deny what had happened to lads at Cambridge House.

Matthew Baker, who has with Simon Danczuk MP for Rochdale written at book about Cyril Smith's abuse of boys, also took part in the interview.  Mr. Baker was at pains to criticise Rochdale Council for failing to act and for its overall handling of the issues surrounding the Smith scandal.  He was particularly dismissive of Rochdale Council's decision yesterday to continue to 'investigate itself': he said the investigation should be conducted by the police.

Curiously Mr. Baker replaced Martin Digan who was set to appear on the program, and who had been a whistle-blower at Knowl View residential school in Rochdale, where more cases of sexual abuse by Smith had taken place in the 1980s and 1990s.  He appears to have been dropped at the last minute for editorial reasons.