by Les May
WHEN Simon Danczuk, the MP for Rochdale's book ‘Smile for the Camera’ was
published in April 2014 it was applauded by almost every reviewer. But there was one slightly sceptical note
struck by Nicholas Blincoe who reviewed the book for the Daily Telegraph. Whilst almost everyone else seemed to accept
at face value everything that Danczuk and his aide Baker had to say about Cyril Smith’s
activities, Mr. Blincoe was more cautious in what he said:
'If it emerges that Smith, who died in 2010, raped young boys at Knowl View, the failure to act earlier will seem unforgivable. But the guilt will be shared. Everyone in Rochdale read the RAP story. I pored over it as a 13-year-old. There was never any doubt over Smith’s guilt. So why did no one do anything?' and 'Investigations into Knowl View by the police and council have been extended to discover Smith’s role, if any, in the abuse. We will soon know if Rochdale’s sympathy for Smith was a terrible mistake.'
‘Smith’s guilt’ here refers to the story which had appeared in the Rochdale Alternative Paper (RAP) in 1979, about him carrying out fake medical examinations and spanking young men at Cambridge House Hostel in the early 1960s. The reason ‘There was never any doubt...’ is that when the story appeared Smith huffed and puffed and blustered, but did not sue.
In the event Blincoe’s prediction of May 2014 that ‘We will soon know...’ proved to be wildly optimistic. It has taken not one, but three, investigations to get at the truth about what Baker wrote and Danczuk put his name to.
Essentially their credibility rests on three claims:
1) That Smith was protected by, amongst others, the security services, and was effectively immune from prosecution,
2) That Knowl View special school was a ‘sweetshop for paedophiles’ and Smith took full advantage of it,
3) That there was a ‘cover up’ by officers of Rochdale Council about what was happening in the school.
Now we have known since July 2015 that the first of these claims are false.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-33716982
'If it emerges that Smith, who died in 2010, raped young boys at Knowl View, the failure to act earlier will seem unforgivable. But the guilt will be shared. Everyone in Rochdale read the RAP story. I pored over it as a 13-year-old. There was never any doubt over Smith’s guilt. So why did no one do anything?' and 'Investigations into Knowl View by the police and council have been extended to discover Smith’s role, if any, in the abuse. We will soon know if Rochdale’s sympathy for Smith was a terrible mistake.'
‘Smith’s guilt’ here refers to the story which had appeared in the Rochdale Alternative Paper (RAP) in 1979, about him carrying out fake medical examinations and spanking young men at Cambridge House Hostel in the early 1960s. The reason ‘There was never any doubt...’ is that when the story appeared Smith huffed and puffed and blustered, but did not sue.
In the event Blincoe’s prediction of May 2014 that ‘We will soon know...’ proved to be wildly optimistic. It has taken not one, but three, investigations to get at the truth about what Baker wrote and Danczuk put his name to.
Essentially their credibility rests on three claims:
1) That Smith was protected by, amongst others, the security services, and was effectively immune from prosecution,
2) That Knowl View special school was a ‘sweetshop for paedophiles’ and Smith took full advantage of it,
3) That there was a ‘cover up’ by officers of Rochdale Council about what was happening in the school.
Now we have known since July 2015 that the first of these claims are false.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-33716982
This is what I wrote about this incident on the Northern
Voices blog in September 2015:
On pages 221 and 222 of his book is a typical Danczuk story about Smith. In recounting this story he forgot the collateral damage being caused to the reputation of the Northamptonshire Police:
'His car had been pulled over on the motorway and officers had found a box of child porn in his boot. The police were naturally disgusted and wanted to press charges. But then a phone call was made from London and he was released without charge. Senior officers had threatened the officers involved with dismissal if he was not released immediately. The mood was tense and sullen as officers stood back while Cyril breezily walked past them to freedom. All the staff who knew about it were threatened with the Official Secrets Act if they discussed the matter any further. Once again Cyril walked out of the police station knowing he was a protected man.'
A totally convincing story, but totally untrue.
How do we know?
Because detectives have interviewed Danczuk, two former chief constables, about 60 police staff, a journalist who has written extensively about Smith, and several members of the public. No witness has been found who saw Smith in custody or was involved in his arrest, no reports of the alleged incident have been uncovered and no witnesses have been found from Special Branch. A manual trawl of its archives was undertaken by Special Branch and the Crown Prosecution Service searched its archives for relevant information. Both found nothing.
So far as I know this is the only one of Danczuk's stories that has been subject to scrutiny. I leave it to your imagination to figure out how much it has cost to find out the truth about it just because he and Baker could not be bothered to check it out before committing it to print. http://northernvoicesmag.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-humbug-of-simon-danczuk.html
On pages 221 and 222 of his book is a typical Danczuk story about Smith. In recounting this story he forgot the collateral damage being caused to the reputation of the Northamptonshire Police:
'His car had been pulled over on the motorway and officers had found a box of child porn in his boot. The police were naturally disgusted and wanted to press charges. But then a phone call was made from London and he was released without charge. Senior officers had threatened the officers involved with dismissal if he was not released immediately. The mood was tense and sullen as officers stood back while Cyril breezily walked past them to freedom. All the staff who knew about it were threatened with the Official Secrets Act if they discussed the matter any further. Once again Cyril walked out of the police station knowing he was a protected man.'
A totally convincing story, but totally untrue.
How do we know?
Because detectives have interviewed Danczuk, two former chief constables, about 60 police staff, a journalist who has written extensively about Smith, and several members of the public. No witness has been found who saw Smith in custody or was involved in his arrest, no reports of the alleged incident have been uncovered and no witnesses have been found from Special Branch. A manual trawl of its archives was undertaken by Special Branch and the Crown Prosecution Service searched its archives for relevant information. Both found nothing.
So far as I know this is the only one of Danczuk's stories that has been subject to scrutiny. I leave it to your imagination to figure out how much it has cost to find out the truth about it just because he and Baker could not be bothered to check it out before committing it to print. http://northernvoicesmag.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-humbug-of-simon-danczuk.html
Their second claim about paedophiles at Knowl View school
was demolished in September 2016 when Operation Jaguar was closed due to the
absence of substantive evidence.
This is what the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) had to say:
‘Between April 2014 and April 2015, 13 files with multiple allegations were submitted by GMP to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) relating to 27 suspects and 16 victims (I think they mean complainants), of both physical and sexual offences. In 2016 the CPS communicated their decision on the final one of the 13 files that was still under review. No further action will be taken in relation to this allegation. In May 2016 a further file was submitted to the CPS and in August 2016 the CPS advised there was insufficient evidence to support a prosecution.’
Danczuk did not like this one little bit and responded with:
'I believe that there has been a catalogue of failings by GMP during the investigation of these crimes. A failure to prosecute will leave child sexual abuse victims devastated that the people who changed their lives forever will not be brought to justice. This statement from GMP announcing that they have not been able to prosecute any more abusers will, I am sure, mean that the perpetrators of these horrific and evil crimes will sleep more happily in their beds tonight.’
In other words he ‘knows’ the people accused are guilty, and if the evidence cannot be found it is due to police failings. http://northernvoicesmag.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/old-news-from-knowl-view.html
This is what the Greater Manchester Police (GMP) had to say:
‘Between April 2014 and April 2015, 13 files with multiple allegations were submitted by GMP to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) relating to 27 suspects and 16 victims (I think they mean complainants), of both physical and sexual offences. In 2016 the CPS communicated their decision on the final one of the 13 files that was still under review. No further action will be taken in relation to this allegation. In May 2016 a further file was submitted to the CPS and in August 2016 the CPS advised there was insufficient evidence to support a prosecution.’
Danczuk did not like this one little bit and responded with:
'I believe that there has been a catalogue of failings by GMP during the investigation of these crimes. A failure to prosecute will leave child sexual abuse victims devastated that the people who changed their lives forever will not be brought to justice. This statement from GMP announcing that they have not been able to prosecute any more abusers will, I am sure, mean that the perpetrators of these horrific and evil crimes will sleep more happily in their beds tonight.’
In other words he ‘knows’ the people accused are guilty, and if the evidence cannot be found it is due to police failings. http://northernvoicesmag.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/old-news-from-knowl-view.html
Whilst Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd did not see
fit to defend the good name and professionalism of Greater Manchester Police,
the local Police Federation chairman Inspector Ian Hanson, did saying:
'(f)rom his comments I would assume Mr Danczuk is in possession of very specific information that backs up his comments (and) if that is the case then he should refer that information to the IPCC (Independent Police Complaint's Commission) himself immediately.'
In a Facebook post, Ian Hanson said a statement released by Mr Danczuk on Thursday was 'totally lacking in detail or substance'.
Inspector Hanson said of Simon Danczuk:
'.... I will publicly call him out to deliver the firm evidence that he bases his criticism of GMP on to my office by 12 noon on Monday - and I will personally deliver it to the IPCC.' http://northernvoicesmag.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/danczuk-given-ultimation-to-cough-up-by.html
'(f)rom his comments I would assume Mr Danczuk is in possession of very specific information that backs up his comments (and) if that is the case then he should refer that information to the IPCC (Independent Police Complaint's Commission) himself immediately.'
In a Facebook post, Ian Hanson said a statement released by Mr Danczuk on Thursday was 'totally lacking in detail or substance'.
Inspector Hanson said of Simon Danczuk:
'.... I will publicly call him out to deliver the firm evidence that he bases his criticism of GMP on to my office by 12 noon on Monday - and I will personally deliver it to the IPCC.' http://northernvoicesmag.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/danczuk-given-ultimation-to-cough-up-by.html
As for their claim of a ‘cover up’ this is implied rather
than made explicit. But anyone reading
page 113 of their book could not be left in any doubt of what is being
suggested, especially as they refer to one council officer by name. Certainly the media took the view that the
police investigation into whether there had been a ‘cover up’ by Rochdale
Council had come about because of the book.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/rochdale-mp-welcomes-knowl-view-7501342
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett from GMP, said:
'Following the publication of MP Simon Danczuk's book 'Smile for the Camera’, GMP conducted an assessment of the allegations contained within that book. As a result of the assessment, GMP decided that a criminal investigation was required.
'This also followed consultation with Rochdale Council and the QC conducting the independent inquiry on their behalf. The council asked Neil Garnham QC to suspend his independent review and he has agreed to do so.
'The GMP investigation will now seek to identify whether any offences have been committed in the way that previous reports of abuse were handled or allegedly covered up.' http://www.itv.com/news/granada/story/2014-07-24/investigation-into-alleged-knowl-view-abuse-cover-up/
'Following the publication of MP Simon Danczuk's book 'Smile for the Camera’, GMP conducted an assessment of the allegations contained within that book. As a result of the assessment, GMP decided that a criminal investigation was required.
'This also followed consultation with Rochdale Council and the QC conducting the independent inquiry on their behalf. The council asked Neil Garnham QC to suspend his independent review and he has agreed to do so.
'The GMP investigation will now seek to identify whether any offences have been committed in the way that previous reports of abuse were handled or allegedly covered up.' http://www.itv.com/news/granada/story/2014-07-24/investigation-into-alleged-knowl-view-abuse-cover-up/
After more than two and a half years and at a cost of nearly
three quarters of a million pounds the Greater Manchester Police investigation
Operation Clifton concluded that there was no ‘cover up’ of what was happening
at Knowl View. In other words Danczuk
and Baker once again got it wrong. Now at this point I must declare an interest. In May 2015 I was interviewed at Rochdale
Police Station for some two hours by two officers who were part of this
operation. I handed over copies of all
the relevant documents I had amassed during my own investigation and signed
statements detailing the information I had provided verbally. At the end of the interview I was asked to
express a view as to whether I believed there had been a ‘cover up’. I said no.
So far as I was concerned I was very impressed by the thoroughness of the
investigation.
Danczuk sees things differently. He has described Operation Clifton as a 'shambles' and he said: 'This must be the most bizarre and unprofessional police investigation I’ve seen in my time in public office. The police have been effectively investigating themselves. The way it has been handled by the police warrants investigation.'
Danczuk sees things differently. He has described Operation Clifton as a 'shambles' and he said: 'This must be the most bizarre and unprofessional police investigation I’ve seen in my time in public office. The police have been effectively investigating themselves. The way it has been handled by the police warrants investigation.'
What he does not say is that the investigation was set up
examine whether there had been a ‘cover up’ by Rochdale Council and that he was
wrong to suggest that there had.
This is curious because in April 2014 he had dismissed the existing enquiry into claims of a ‘cover up’ set up by Rochdale Council in January 2014 as a ‘bogus review’ that lacked the necessary independence. It was this enquiry which was superceded by Operation Clifton.
He said at the time:
'It's well known that Rochdale council are knee-deep in litigation over claims of historical physical and sexual abuse and their so-called independent review is nothing more than a defence of the council.
'I don't know why they're calling it an independent review because the council commissioned it, they've set the terms of reference and the council leader is busy calling round people connected to Knowl View asking them to come and speak to him.
'There's nothing independent about it and I think it's wrong that the council should be investigating serious allegations of abuse that they had responsibility for preventing.' https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/apr/28/cyril-smith-abuse-police-alleged-rochdale-cover-up
This is curious because in April 2014 he had dismissed the existing enquiry into claims of a ‘cover up’ set up by Rochdale Council in January 2014 as a ‘bogus review’ that lacked the necessary independence. It was this enquiry which was superceded by Operation Clifton.
He said at the time:
'It's well known that Rochdale council are knee-deep in litigation over claims of historical physical and sexual abuse and their so-called independent review is nothing more than a defence of the council.
'I don't know why they're calling it an independent review because the council commissioned it, they've set the terms of reference and the council leader is busy calling round people connected to Knowl View asking them to come and speak to him.
'There's nothing independent about it and I think it's wrong that the council should be investigating serious allegations of abuse that they had responsibility for preventing.' https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/apr/28/cyril-smith-abuse-police-alleged-rochdale-cover-up
Incidentally, the council leader in question was Colin
Lambert who went on to deliver the Labour party a stunning victory at the next
election but was then replaced by someone closer to Mr Danczuk.
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/98147/former-danczuk-spin-doctor-matt-baker-accused-of-vile-attack-and-smear-campaign
Operation Clifton cost almost £750,000, Operation Jaguar
cost in the region of £500,000, the cost of the investigation by
Northamptonshire Police is unknown but we can tentatively place it in the tens
of thousands of pounds, if not more.
Taken together the sum is in the region of one and a quarter million
pounds. Even though Danczuk was the
proximate factor which led to each of them, he rejects the findings of all of
them.
Allowing Danczuk to remain in a position where anyone might be inclined to take the slightest notice of his views on Cyril Smith, Knowl View and indeed the whole question of sexual abuse of children, is rapidly becoming an expensive luxury the country can ill afford. But he won’t go until he is pushed and the people to do that pushing are the members of Rochdale Labour party or, if they still won’t do it, Rochdale’s councillors from the other parties need to kick up a fuss and not be cowed by attacks from Danczuk’s cronies.
Rochdale will never climb out of the mire so long as it has Danczuk as its MP. Blaming the police when they don’t come up with the findings you think they should is lacking in judgement. Doing it three times is the action of a fool.
Allowing Danczuk to remain in a position where anyone might be inclined to take the slightest notice of his views on Cyril Smith, Knowl View and indeed the whole question of sexual abuse of children, is rapidly becoming an expensive luxury the country can ill afford. But he won’t go until he is pushed and the people to do that pushing are the members of Rochdale Labour party or, if they still won’t do it, Rochdale’s councillors from the other parties need to kick up a fuss and not be cowed by attacks from Danczuk’s cronies.
Rochdale will never climb out of the mire so long as it has Danczuk as its MP. Blaming the police when they don’t come up with the findings you think they should is lacking in judgement. Doing it three times is the action of a fool.
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