Former Lib Dem leader Lord Steel resigns after criticism from child abuse inquiry

Former Liberal Party leader David Steel has resigned from the Liberal Democrats and will stand down from the House of Lords after being strongly criticised by a report into child sexual abuse at Westminster.
Former Liberal Democrat leader David SteelFormer Liberal Democrat leader David Steel
Former Liberal Democrat leader David Steel

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) said that Lord Steel should have launched an investigation into the late Cyril Smith after learning of allegations that the Liberal MP had physically and sexually abused children.

Lord Steel, a former Borders MP who led the Liberals for 12 years before taking the party into a merger with the SDP to found the Liberal Democrats in 1988, said in a statement: “Knowing all I know now, I condemn Cyril Smith’s actions towards children.”

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Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said it was “right” that Lord Steel should quit the party and parliament.

However, the peer appeared to hit out at the inquiry and criticism of his actions, adding: “Not having secured a parliamentary scalp, I fear that I have been made a proxy for Cyril Smith.

“Nowhere do IICSA explain what powers I was supposed to possess to investigate 14 year old allegations against someone (who at the time of the actions alleged was not even a member of my party), that the police and successive DPPs reviewed with access to all files.”

Lord Steel told the IICSA last year how he failed to pass on allegations against prominent colleague Sir Cyril Smith, even though he believed them to be true, because it was "past history". He later recommended Smith for a knighthood.

The peer was suspended from the Liberal Democrats following his comments, but was reinstated last May after a disciplinary panel accepted his explanation that he could not hear the questions put to him at the inquiry hearing clearly.

Lord Steel’s statement went on: “I have received indications that some in the Liberal Democrat Party wish me suspended and investigated again, despite a previous disciplinary process in Scotland which concluded that no further action was required. I am told that others are threatening to resign if a new investigation is started.

“I wish to avoid any such turmoil in my Party and to prevent further distress to my family.

“I have therefore thanked my local party secretary for their stalwart support through the whole IICSA process, and have informed the local Party that my resignation is with immediate effect.”

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Lord Steel added that he was planning to retire from the Lords next month. “With considerable personal sorrow, and thanks to all I have worked with in the Party and more widely, I have now decided this is what I should do as soon as possible.

“My wife has suffered poor health this past year. I shall now stop the weekly travel from Scotland to London and enjoy a quiet retirement from public life.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie did not address whether Lord Steel should have had his suspension lifted last year, but said in a statement: “Cyril Smith’s acts were vile and repugnant and I have nothing but sympathy for those affected.

“This is a powerful report that has lessons for everyone including David Steel, the Liberal Democrats and the wider political sphere.

“It is therefore right that David Steel has decided to resign from the Liberal Democrats and retire from public life including the House of Lords.”

A Scottish Liberal Democrat spokeswoman later added that the party "followed the advice of lawyers and the party’s constitution and decided that there was no action to be taken at that time.

"The independent inquiry was under way with a wider remit. This is an important inquiry with powerful conclusions which all institutions should take seriously and seek to learn from.

"Liberal Democrats take the issue of vigilance and safeguarding seriously and constantly work to improve our party processes, including the introduction of a new complaints process last year.”