MI5 ‘may have helped cover up abuse claims against Sir Cyril’

Published on 20/11/2012 01:47

MI5 MAY have been involved in a cover-up to silence child abuse allegations against prominent Liberal Democrat Sir Cyril Smith, an MP claimed yesterday.

Labour’s Simon Danczuk asked Home Secretary Theresa May to investigate whether spies helped hush up long-standing accusations about Sir Cyril, who died two years ago.

Mr Danczuk, the MP for Sir Cyril’s old constituency of Rochdale, last week repeated claims the Lib Dem spanked boys’ naked bottoms after being given “a disciplinarian role” at a Lancashire children’s home decades ago.

Mr Danczuk said: “Following my comments in the House about Cyril Smith’s abuse of boys, I understand the Crown Prosecution Service has located investigation files against Mr Smith from the 1960s.

“Can the Home Secretary now look at whether it’s true the Director of Public Prosecutions at the time received a second opinion recommending Smith be prosecuted; why he concluded it was not in the public interest; what role, if any the Security Service played; and how the government now intends getting to the bottom of what several former police officers are now referring to as ‘a cover-up’?”