This includes failing to recognise abuse, turning a blind eye to it, covering up allegations and actively protecting high-profile offenders, including politicians.
On the publication of the damning report former Liberal leader David Steel announced he would quit the House of Lords – something he should have considered a long, long, time ago. Indeed, it’s a damning indictment of the ‘jobs for the boys’ mentality of the Palace of Westminster that he ever sat in the Upper House at all.
Steel was condemned by the inquiry for failing to alert authorities to the brutal crimes of paedophile MP Cyril Smith.
During three weeks of public hearings last year, the Inquiry heard from survivors, whistleblowers, cabinet ministers, MPs and police officers among others.
There has clearly been a significant problem with deference towards people of public prominence, from the Whips’ offices to the police and prosecutors, although the investigation found no evidence of an organised paedophile network at the heart of government.
For example, in the 1970s and 1980s, MPs including Sir Cyril Smith and Sir Peter Morrison were known to be active in their sexual interest in children, but were protected from prosecution.
Giving evidence, former Liberal Party leader Lord Steel said that because allegations against Smith had arisen before he joined the party, he saw “no reason, or no locus to go back to [it]”. This failure to recognise the risks was an abdication of responsibility, and the fact the offences were non-recent was irrelevant.
Incredibly, despite knowing that Smith was guilty of serial child sex abuse, Steel nominated deviant Smith for a knighthood – and later went on to receive high honours himself.
‘Sir’ Cyril Smith died in 2010 and never faced justice for his crimes.
Steel was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1990 and was later ‘ennobled’,becoming a life peer with the grand title of Baron Steel of Aikwood. Steel also enjoyed the trappings of office as the Scottish Parliament’s first Presiding Officer. Now, given Steel’s role in this murkiest of affairs, it can only be hoped that his high-falutin titles will swiftly be withdrawn.
Steel may be the most high profile, but he is not the only politician to be exposed by the report.
Senior officials within the Conservative party knew about allegations concerning Peter Morrison for years but did not pass them on to police. Instead, he became Margaret Thatcher’s Parliamentary Private Secretary in 1990 and was knighted a year later.
Victor Montagu, the former MP for South Dorset and 10th Earl of Sandwich, was let off with a caution after a 10-year-old boy alleged he had indecently assaulted him. Montagu’s son Robert, who he also sexually abused for over five years, said the decision not to prosecute was “entirely wrong and very indicative of the attitude towards people in public positions”.
The report concludes that these are examples of a political culture which values its reputation far higher than the fate of the children involved.
All in the past? Surely Westminster has cleaned up it’s act? Sadly not.
As recently as 2017, Green Party election candidate Aimee Challenor was able to appoint her father as election agent, despite the fact that he had been charged with sexually assaulting a child and was later convicted.
The Inquiry also investigated the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE), which campaigned in the 1970s to lower the age of consent, as well as public acceptance of paedophilia.
A number of its members sexually abused children, including Sir Peter Hayman, a former High Commissioner to Canada.
The report concludes that PIE was given foolish and misguided support for several years by organisations who should have known better, such as the National Council for Civil Liberties and the Albany Trust.
The report makes five recommendations, including ensuring all political parties have comprehensive safeguarding policies and procedures. It also calls on the Cabinet Office to re-examine its policy on the posthumous forfeiture of honours.
https://youtu.be/riS9449z_SQ
Chair of the Inquiry, Professor Alexis Jay OBE, said: “It is clear to see that Westminster institutions have repeatedly failed to deal with allegations of child sexual abuse, from turning a blind eye to actively shielding abusers.
“A consistent pattern emerged of failures to put the welfare of children above political status although we found no evidence of an organised network of paedophiles within government.
“We hope this report and its recommendations will lead political institutions to prioritise the needs and safety of vulnerable children.”
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