Cyril Smith: Calls for an independent inquiry growing with Nick Clegg under fire over 'legalistic' excuses

The Liberal Democrats faced growing demands last night for an independent inquiry into the Cyril Smith paedophilia scandal.

MPs, campaigners and lawyers for the victims dismissed Nick Clegg’s ‘legalistic’ attempts to deny responsibility on the grounds that the horrifying abuse happened before he was party leader.

They criticised Mr Clegg’s cursory initial investigation into Smith’s activities in 2012 – which the Lib Dem leader said had not found evidence that the party knew of the predatory politician’s four decades of molesting children.

Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said the Lib Dems had ‘not got a good record in this area’.

And he said the party should set up an independent probe because they were ‘relying on internal people who may have a vested interest in arriving at a particular conclusion’.

He also criticised Mr Clegg for making a ‘legalistic’ distinction between the Liberal Party and the Liberal Democrats who were formed in 1989 following a merger between the Liberals and the Social Democratic Party.  (more...)

Cyril Smith: Calls for an independent inquiry growing with Nick Clegg under fire over 'legalistic' excuses

The book's conclusion and the key to the tragedy:

A promiscuous mother and the childhood taunts that turned Cyril Smith into a twisted predator