Cyril Smith: New biography

Then it's your duty to name them.

Harriet Harman has responded to a campaign of investigative journalism. This seems to be part of the same story of the rather different attitudes at the time involved in the Cyril Smith story.
Unfortunately Harriet Harman will not give a straight answer to a straight question, but is that just a matter of her political style, or stubborn avoidance of the facts?

As more information is dug up about what was going on with Harriet Harman, her husband, the P.I.E., and connections and attitudes in politics in the 1970s, The BBC is picking up on the story.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26352378
It was very different times then, and we have to wonder what sort of political social circles Cyril Smith and his associates moved in.
Harriet Harman appears to be one of those politicians who care so much more passionately about their own political charisma and career than about the facts. By strenuously denying what may be quite remote and even innocent links to the P.I.E. and counter attacking against those who question her, she gives the impression she has something to hide.

Well somebody is getting a lot of advertising that they could not buy and a shop too!

I am waiting to see how big a share of the profits are donated to a fund for the victims - after all it would be morally wrong to profit from others misfortune and the authors are of 'high moral character'.

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You seem to want it all ways keithatrochdale. You moan when he makes a loss and you moan when he makes a profit. The man can't do right for doing wrong can he! You can please some of the people some of the time etc etc. Tch.    

What I find unsettling and more to the point 'destructive' is peoples attitude towards anyone that 'tries' to do 'something'. A large percentage of this country's population should 'try' (for once in their apathetic lives) to get out of bed in a morning and do instead of leaving it all to others and bemoaning the fact they haven't got the same as some others. Too much negative and far, far too little positive. Very few people who 'try' make it the first time around and for that matter the second time around. It takes guts to 'try' and make it on ones own and, not to put too fine a point on it, a bloody lot of hard work. Those that do 'try' rarely work less than 24/7 and give up what others take as a right 'the right to play for the most part'. Instead they 'choose' to make an effort to better themselves and as a consequence others around them. It does little credit to 'those' (and you know who you are) who belittle, find fault and otherwise denigrate the 'triers'. Is that clear enough?  

Or drug dealers or people traffickers? They all make huge bags of money and far more than any one-off author. We 'all' profit from one another to some extent, but rarely see the distinction. What I abhor are those that decry the others that make an 'effort'. It's an insidious form of jealousy which has no place and which only leads to a less secure and comfortable existence for all. It's counter-productive. One should try and raise oneself above it. :roll   

Researching information for 'Smile for the camera' would have involved time and effort, listening properly to accounts of victims and witnesses, and piecing together the sequence of events. The effect should be positive, helping to bring forward victims, further information and witnesses, increasing pressure for a thorough inquiry.

There is understandably a general distrust of those in the public eye praised for 'doing something'. When the true story is known it often turns out things are not so straightforward really.

Well said.  

The continuing series of articles in the Mail based on 'Smile for the camera' today reports the opinion that Rochdale council is 'whitewashing'.

Simon Danczuk Quote: "It is a whitewash. There is nothing independent about it and I think it is wrong that the council should be investigating serious allegations of abuse that they had responsibility for preventing."

Any organisation would want to protect itself against expensive litigation, a 'whitewash' to some extent is what you might expect of an organisation investigating it's own failings.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2609921/Cyril-Smith-inquiry-whitewash-Rochdale-Council-probe-abuse-Knowl-View-wrong-prevented-says-MP-exposed-scandal.html

He's perfectly correct. Organisations of any description where negligence, wrongdoings or for that matter ignorance takes place should, if in the public interest (which this is), be subjected to outside independent scrutiny. Understandably the 'State' must protect its citizens but even then parameters should be set and not exceeded. Man doesn't always like the 'truth'. But I have yet to come across any given situation where it hasn't been beneficial in the long run.   

Very good article Hinch- I did enjoy reading it.  I think I may get a copy of this book.

Be interesting to know who the 'Magnifcient' seven activists are.


Then, after this fantastic article i find this letter...


http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/129/letters-to-the-editor/86644/allegations-about-the-late-sir-cyril-smith

Disgraceful.  But it's more concerning that there are people out there besides this attention seeker who believe Paedo Smith is innocent.

In addition to the sadness for the man's victims comes that age-old 'reputation' which darkens not just the man but spreads its insidious tenticles across the whole of the 'town' and the 'people' this man represented. We all know that Rochdale is in the main a good town full of very decent people. Yes, it has it's bad boys, as do all places. But when a man of this stature becomes 'known' for this sort of behaviour it has that tendency to stain us all. If nothing else we all suffer in an odd sort of way. History clouds most things but this sort of 'reputation' takes much longer to die. So sad when put against all the efforts that many others have sought to portray of the town.

Chill37 wrote:        Then ---  I find this letter

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/129/letters-to-the-editor/86644/allegations-about-the-late-sir-cyril-smith

Disgraceful. ---

Chill37: Well,     the author and Cyril Smith did have "history" together.      The author has personally documented how the former MP helped / influenced, naming the local solicitors and contacts involved, etcetera .... , when the man's own father's step-brother Ashiq faced a local court charge of indecently assaulting a female.    No, I'm not suggesting you buy one of the author's e-books but, as an easy jigsaw, these 3 extracts give a picture:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=TgCc_hMZm5kC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=snippet&q=Ashiq&f=false

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=TgCc_hMZm5kC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=snippet&q=Cyril%20Smith%20solicitor&f=false

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=TgCc_hMZm5kC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=snippet&q=Mr%20Greenwood&f=false

Perhaps one of the many reviews and enquiries however would benefit from perusing the author's various memoires of Cyril Smith