Sir Cyril Smith MBE: Larger Than Life Send Off from Great Hall

Sir Cyril Smith MBE is having one last get together in the Great, larger-than-life, Hall in Rochdale Town Hall. Today at 12 noon, all welcome, for what will no doubt be a rather rose-tinted spectacle. About an hour I should reckon. Then a procession to Rochdale Crematorium which is about a mile away as the crows fly, slightly further perhaps via Smith Street and Drake Street. Then, at 1:40pm a friends and family service at the Crem.

The Rochdale Observer, a paper that Cyril Smith loved to browbeat and bully like some hysterical Boss Hogg grand master or godfather, and which was eventually driven from the Town with the likes of David Hennigan and Norman Smith and Paul Rowen still shouting threats and admonishments at them, nonetheless offers quite a generous scene setting.

In fact they don't put a foot wrong. HERE.

I don't think they are publishing any comments despite an invitation to leave our views and anecdotes. Here's mine, exactly as submitted to them:

Doesn't look like you are printing comments. Presumably this is because of adverse comments being made by those for whom Sir Cyril loomed over them "larger than life" in a bad way.

To take three examples from many potential problematic incidents:

1. Cyril was reported to the Police on one occasion over his activities dishing out brutal and by all accounts sexualised punishment beatings and more to residents at Cambridge House, a hostel for young vulnerable apprentices, far from home. A police investigation was completed but strings were pulled at the highest level and Cyril's career was saved. Private Eye and other alternative press carried the story in some detail and Sir Cyril did not rebutt or take action against them. At one point he was on the governing body of more than 250 schools, he was actively involved in all kinds of arts and sport activities, in the organisation of Education borough-wide, in children's homes, and he famously supported Rochdale Childer. These days he would not have passed a basic never mind enhanced CRB disclosure.

2. Cyril was heavily involved in harassing and haranging the police, the lawyers, the prisons and the court in a celebrated case. The end result was that an innocent man was imprisoned for two decades over a sexual assault, rape and child killing that he did not and could not possibly have committed. Evidence was available at the time that utterly exonerated the man. Poor Stefan Kisko's defence barrister was David Waddington who would go on the be Tory Home Secretary. To put it mildly the police were crooked. And Waddington made a complete pig's ear of the job of defending the man. At the time of the conviction of the real killer the Manchester Evening News and others reported an extraordinary link between the murder and Sir Cyril and his political activity, which was a course a thing of great twists and turns, betrayals and defections.

3. Last but not least there's the "magic" also known as "killer" mineral that is asbestos. This much has been carried in some of the notices over Cyril's death. Rochdale's MP was a shareholder, a bit of a Santa Claus in the social, a dining out chum of the management, and their sock puppet - willing to read speeches the killer industrialists had created, resisting health and safety improvements and the crushing weight of evidence of harm, disease and death and to read these on the floor of the House of Commons. David Waddington was again somethingly involved. Cyril too was an industrialist, owning a company called Smith's Springs and becoming a millionaire, though how so is shrouded in mystery. Suffice it to say that Turner Brothers Asbestos is not the only major commercial organisation to which Smith's name has been connected over his assistance to their activities.

Much of this will no doubt be subject of alternative memoirs, leaching out into Rochdale like so much asbestos dust from Spodden killing fields. There is believed to be enough killer dust there - with one particle enough to cause plaques or cancers - to cover several football pitches to chest high on Cyril and his brother Norman.

Cyril may have put Rochdale on the map on one level. Not really in a good way though, as the faint praise of some of the more independent appreciations bears witness. In many ways Cyril leaves a great hole behind him. Largely down to him and his colleagues and despite the staggering efforts of good Rochdale people to rise above the overwhelming grime and poverty and nastiness of life under Cyril.

No doubt his mother loved him.

UPDATE Thu 11:45: Image of news item added. Along with this - the text thereon - to assist seekers of Google truth on the larger than life Sir Cyril Smith MBE, that former Rochdale Liberal MP, and his strange predilections and dodgy career history. There will be more anon:

Private Eye No. 1271 (17-30 Sept 2010)

100 Years Ago

So, farewell then, Sir Cyril Smith MBE. With the lone exception of Times blogger Oliver Kamm – who called him “a corrupt, mendacious mountain of flesh” - the former Liberal MP for Rochdale has departed this world to a chorus of fond tributes. Nick Clegg ventured that he was “one of the most likable politicians of his day”.

Not so likeable, perhaps, if you were one of the children about whom Private Eye wrote in May 1979. The magazine described how Big Cyril had repeatedly dished out sexual “punishments” to vulnerable youngsters living at the Cambridge House boys' hostel during the 1960s. The Eye published details from witness statements obtained by Rochdale's Alternative Paper about his threats to the teenage residents.

“He gave me a choice between accepting his punishment or leaving the hostel,” said one. “He took me into the Quiet Room. He told me to take my trousers and pants down and he hit me four or five times on my bare buttocks.”

As secretary of the Rochdale Hostel for Boys Association, which ran Cambridge House, Smith was a regular after-hours visitor. Another resident recalled: “Cyril Smith found that I had taken some money. He asked me if I would accept his punishment. He then told me to take off my trousers and pants and bend over his knee...he hit me many times... afterwards he came to my bedroom and wiped my bare buttocks with a sponge.” A third youngster reported that Smith has “given a kind of medical examination... he held my testicles and told me to cough”.

The RAP editors gathered seven sworn statements of this kind. Although Smith took no action against RAP or the Eye – or the New Statesman, which also reported the allegations – not a single national newspaper mentioned the story.

It was dismissed by Liberal leader David Steel as “not a very friendly gesture, publishing that, all he seems to have done is spanked a few bare bottoms”.

The Lancashire Constabulary took a different view, and had indeed investigated Smith. A report was prepared but in 1974, during discussions about a Con/Lib coalition, it was taken to London by Special Branch and never seen again. A second copy was sent to the director of public prosecutions but this, too, seemed to vanish into thin air. The DPP stated that he could not “confirm or deny receiving it”.

If all this suggests some kind of institutional cover-up, it wouldn't be the first in Rochdale. For years the powers-that-be knew about sexual abuse at Knowl View, a special residential school for children aged between eight and 16, but did nothing about it.

Knowl View was eventually closed in 1995. In September 2002 David Higgins, a former teacher, pleaded guilty to 11 counts of gross indecency involving young children at the school. His crimes had been committed in the years following its foundation in 1969 by Cyril Smith, who was also a governor.

The full truth may take a while to emerge: Knowl View school records have been restricted from public view for 100 years.

UPDATE Fri 20:03: The Rochdale Observer lead with a by turns alarming and amusing rebuttal by Norman "the enforcer" Smith, brother of the late, great, foul Sir Cyril Smith MBE. In which Norman makes a number of utterly false claims which the Observer print without question. They do however repeat a sample of the accusations. Private Eye would do well to load a five hundredweight van with extra copies of their current edition and go and sell them door to door around Rochdale and surrounds. They could sent a similar vehicle to Liverpool for the Lib Dem conference.

Scan below. And text. Or you can read it in situ HERE. In truth you are rather more likely to find comments here on this blog than over there at the Obbie.

Cyril’s family in fury at ‘cowardly’ article

Katie Storey

September 17, 2010

Sir Cyril Smith's family have hit out at a 'cowardly' magazine article for repeating sexual abuse allegations against the late Rochdale MP.

A piece in this week's Private Eye magazine refers to abuse said to have taken place at Cambridge House boy's hostel in Rochdale in the 1960s.

Sir Cyril, who was secretary of the Rochdale Hostel for Boys Association which ran the centre, was alleged to have dished out 'punishments' to vulnerable youngsters living at the home, but the claims were never proven.

His brother Norman Smith said: "Have Private Eye got nothing better to do than attack a person who's dead and can't respond.

"It's absolutely appalling.

"These allegations were disproved at the time.

"We have had hundreds of cards, 99 per cent of people have said what a wonderful man he was and what wonderful things he did for Rochdale.

"He thought of nothing else than the people of Rochdale.

"At the time these allegations were proved completely untrue and they were dropped.

"The reason that Cyril didn't take legal action was that he was advised by his barrister, that it would have cost the people involved a hell of a lot of money.

"There was no point taking legal action because there was no money to pay and Cyril was told to forget it because the allegations were totally untrue."

The Private Eye article digs up a previous piece, published in the magazine in May 1979, and re-printed in the week of Sir Cyril's funeral.

Then the publication reported that Rochdale Alternative Press – a local underground magazine of the time - had been supplied with seven sworn statements from teenagers at Cambridge House alleging that Sir Cyril Smith had abused them.

One claimed Sir Cyril, who died on September 3 aged 82, spanked his bare buttocks, while another youngster claimed he had given him a kind of medical examination.

Norman added: "The family are so upset by Cyril's death and for Private Eye to come forward with something like this they're nothing but cowards."

At the time the claims were dismissed by Liberal leader David Steel as 'not a very friendly gesture'.

UPDATE Fri 20:46: Here is the comment I just submitted, rather than one in the comments:

Oh come on Observer! What's cowardly is not printing these facts down the years, brow beaten by Cyril, Norman and their enforcers. What's cowardly is a party machine that completely failed in their duty to get rid of this man. In fact David Steel continued that quote to admit that Cyril had done the deed. "Spanking a few bare bottoms" I think he called it. What's cowardly is for Norman to simply make up a response to this story and tell his local newspaper, a paper that served his brother Cyril well down the years, to tell The Observer things he must surely know are not true.

Norman Smith begins his rubbish with: "These allegations were disproved at the time." This is absolute nonsense. The police investigation concluded that there was a case and tried to pass this up the chain. The witness statements that are in the public domain are compelling.

A cracking case was apparently snatched out of the due process by politically motivated interference. None of the accusations was disproved. In fact David Steel himself basically admitted in terms that Cyril had administered these beatings.

Norman Smith offers the fact that there are many well wishers as some kind of evidence of innocence. We all know Cyril was popular. We don't know quite why. But we know it was the case. Then Norman tries again: "At the time these allegations were proved completely untrue and they were dropped."

Once again this is utterly false. The allegations were not proved to be untrue. Far from it. There was no due process that "dropped" these allegations. Allegations don't get dropped. It is charges that get dropped. Because of his friends in high places and in a truly staggering fashion even at three and four decades separation no charges were brought.

Cyril Smith may well have taken advice from a barrister. Perhaps Norman Smith can open the archives of Cyril the renowned man of letters and show us the exchanges. Let's see Cyril's briefs please Norman. Given that his party leader David Steel had already essentially admitted the basic narrative was correct and given the way things were going at the school Cyril had founded - that's the notorious den of child abuse and child prostitution that was Knowl View - and elsewhere on the patch, the advice may well have been to throw his weight about a bit to stop the national papers joining in but to leave Private Eye and the local alternative paper alone.

The allegations were not dropped. The allegations were not proved to be false. The desperate, even tearful Cyril Smith pulled strings and saved his bacon. That was and is a disgrace.

What did Cyril actually do for Rochdale? Apart from founding Knowl View?

Sir Cyril Smith MBE: Rivals For "Most Skeletons in Closet"?

Iain asks who is the oldest surviving ex-MP from each party and others have extended this to ex-PMs wives. How about extending this to the ex-MP with the most skeletons in his cupboards? I nominate "Sir" Cyril Smith MBE who has surely had to have his already oversized walk-in cupboards extended to provide room for all his dirty secrets.

Above in his Ne'er-Do-Well tabard.

Here's Rochdale RAW - Rochdale Alternative Website - in homage to RAP - Rochdale Alternative Paper. And here's Mister Cyril's homage Facebook Group calling for Sir Cyril to be demoted in disgrace.

Early doors RAW had a link to a lovely story on Rochdale Online. This describes how local ne'er-do-wells will soon be identified by day-glo tabards ... and was the inspiration for the fat tab for the fat crock.

Transport Innovation: New YES Tabard for Sir Cyril Smith

Lifelong passenger transport enthusiast Sir Cyril Smith MBE has got a new tabard for his collection. Above pictured with Pensioners' champion Tommy Walsh supporting the YES campaign. Picture from Rochdale Online where the Tories are still revolting.

Rochdale Obbie: What Have Cyril and Libs Got On Them?

Extraordinary bias of the Rochdale Observer in favour of Sir Cyril Smith and his latter day cronies Dave Hennigan and Paul Rowen MP and against his opponents' reasonable observations continues apace. It is extraordinarily difficult to satisfactorily explain this deference indeed reverence through any normal, reasonable editorial choices.

What's going on? He may be an old man but hey, he took buckets of money from us for his public service, he remains active in local politics, and he must surely be held accountable for his errors and omissions? With his apologists equally guilty.

Dozens of documents related to the asbestos industry in the town and to Sir Cyril Smith's relationship with the masters of that industry have been virtually ignored by the town's major local paper. They have been printed or described in the New Statesman, on Rochdale Online, on this very blog, and in the Daily Mirror. But not in the Rochdale Observer. Why is this?

It would appear that for many, many years Sir Cyril Smith and Bro Norman have refused to attend Remembrance Sunday and Remembrance Day events in the town. Apparently following some ancient spat with the local Royal British Legion.

The Legion declined a business opportunity that would have somehow benefitted the Bros Smith and/or the Rochdale Liberals/Lib Dems. And for this reason - tortuously and incriminatingly explained in writing - the Brothers Grim have turned their backs on the fallen of Rochdale. Have the R'Obbie covered this? No they have not. Why is that?

Sir Cyril Smith worked with Lord Waddington, a Tory, during their years in parliament. By chance when Sir Cyril was pushing and bullying and grand-standing to secure the conviction and preferably hanging of Stefan Kiszko for the murder of Lesley Molseed which he clearly had not commited, poor Stefan's defence barrister was a singularly incompetent Waddington.

There was physical evidence proving Kiszko's innocence yet he was allowed to suffer in prison for many years with his poor mother suffering torment outside. Waddington and his team received some 8,000 pages of late evidence. Did they call for an adjournment. Did they buggery! They pressed on. Desperate Sir Cyril had been creating for every hour of court time lost.

Topping this malarkey, in what surely must be one of the greatest coincidences in the history of the criminal law, the true culprit was Ronald Castree.

He was not only convicted of an essentially similar sex attack on a child without any pennies dropping but was also connected very strong to Sir Cyril and his party through family membership and activism. This got a passing mention in the Manchester Evening News.

Obviously the well-supported and published allegations of sexual misconduct and bullying against Cyril relating to Cambridge House were not covered. Clear discrepancies in the funding of the local party - including monies passing through Cyril's clammy spankers - have gone uninvestigated. And there are plenty more examples where these come from.

To their credit the R'Obbie did cover national newspaper calls for Sir Cyril to be stripped of his ill-earned title. Which is more than can be said for others. But now they appear to be colluding in papering over these cracks with an ancient story about what I'd say is a rather terrible portrait of the big man.

Sold to the Ogden Trust nine months ago. Installed in the National Liberal Club many months ago. Now revisited as if a current story as a way of deflecting attention from Cyril's many and varied misdemeanours.

Cyril Smith's career should be weighed up and found wanted. He should indeed be served up on toast. And his all his apologists and camp followers should be weighed up also.

Images to be added shortly are extracted from this week's Rochdale Express, the freesheet sibling paper, and from the paid for Saturday edition of the R'Obbie.

FOOTNOTE: The Manchester Evening News also carry the recycled wrong 'un story about that crappy portrait - more on which anon - but although we know for certain that at least one story has been filed the MEN HAVE NOT covered the call for Sir Cyril Smith MBE to be stripped of his ill-gotten knighthood. We did of course.

Asbestos in schools comment

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Asbestos in Schools:
Foolish Rowen Backs Up Cyril":

1. Rochdale DLP open website hacked into and a put of Milliband posted?
At as time when Rochdale Lib Dems were in trouble wit claims about
Cyril Smith? Fist posted on as Lib Dem blog but soonafter Dave Hennigan
boasting about his victory of getting the story in the Daily Express?

2. Adam Power claiming that he had spoken to Tony Lloyd MP's and had
information to kill an embarressing article about Cyril Smith? Adam
Getting caught out telling lies about it and now a denial that he even
works for paul Rowen MP's Lib Dem Rochdale office?

3. Dave Hennigan getting very shirty publicly after getting found out
recyling very old stories about a Cyril Smith portrait being donated to
the National Liberal Club by the Ogden Trust? This happened in March
08, reported again by the Ogden Trust in Aug 08 for Cyril's 80th pie
and DeLorean bash, and now hitting the headlines again in the week that
a Parliamentary EDM has been tabled calling for Cyril to be stripped of
his knighthood.

These pathetic attempts at spinning follow a clear pattern.

All paid for by taxpayer's money too?

Time for an audit and investigation of Rochdale Liberal Democrat
Accounting Unit?

The Thursday Cyril: Now Serving Himself Up on Toast

Difficult to see how Sir Cyril Smith could top his last hubristical appearance on BBC North West, claiming that asbestos workers had only themselves to blame if 20% got sick and died terrible deaths.

But I'll be interested to see tonight's effort in which Sir Cyril Smith MBE - probably still smarting from not being made Lord Smith of Turners-Done-Good - claimed that talk of an EDM to have him stripped of his knighthood was "ridiculous".

Cyril told Kevin Maguire of the Daily Mirror that Labour wanted him "on toast". Having denied this was possible he now seems to be busily hoisting himself by his own petard onto the plate.

Lord Archer should call an AGM of the ennobled minty miscreants association - EMMA for short - black balling the old scrote. Archie's major claims to fame, having an EDM to strip his title, is at stake. Don't let Cyril dilute the brand!

UPDATE Thu 08:25: Slight sub-edit last para. Plus: Rochdale RAW report on that EDM which is now available for signing:

Early Day Motion
EDM 2470
TURNER AND NEWALL AND SIR CYRIL SMITH
11.11.2008
Hepburn, Stephen
That this House notes that for decades the asbestos industry covered up the fatal health threat posed by the carcinogenic mineral; further notes that some 4,000 people a year die from incurable asbestos-related diseases; expresses disquiet over letters revealing that on 5th August 1981 the then hon. Member for Rochdale, Sir Cyril Smith, asked Turner and Newall, a major asbestos corporation, to supply a speech to make in the Chamber of the House in a debate on asbestos controls; is disturbed that the letter of 5th August 1981 stated `could you please, within the next eight weeks, let me have the speech you would like to make (were you able to!) in the debate?'; believes such action was dishonourable and not in the interests of the public nor in the finest tradition of this House; and expresses its support for those now demanding that the former hon. Member for Rochdale be stripped of his knighthood.

We urge Paul Rowen MP to get his name on this one as soon as possible, given as he is a fearless asbestos slaying warrior himself, or that he resigns and calls for a by-election vote of confidence in the Lib Dem record in representing poor Rochdale.

The Mirror "Points of Disorder" follow up is now available online and Kevin Maguire's blog on the matter is attracting a balanced and carefully nuanced debate, not.

If I didn't know better I'd think that Dave Drunkagain is again breaking his claim that he never posts other than under his own name. I wonder if the Daily Mirror would like to compare IP Addresses on that? Are Paul Rowen's arsey lads still providing cover for the spanking old scrote Smith C?

Strip Sir Cyril: Served Up On Toast By Mirror

I didn't fully appreciate Sir Cyril Smith's unpopularity until criticising his dishonourable cosiness with the asbestos industry here last week.

Jarrow MP Stephen Hepburn is to table a Commons motion to strip the heavyweight ex-Lib Dem MP of his knighthood. And a Facebook group has been set up to call for him to revert to Mr Smith.

I can think of 4,000 reasons - the number who die every year from asbestos - why he shouldn't be Sir Cyril.

"They think they've got Cyril Smith on toast," complained Mr Smith. He's 20 stone so that's a lot of bread. (Kevin Maguire, Today 12 Nov 2008)

Rochdale Lib Dems Are Wrong: Heywood Parish Priest

What's the issue? Rochdale's dirty Lib Dem regime has it seems "reformed" an existing policy or practice - whether introduced under the Paul Rowen-led Lib Dem council up to May 2005 or the surprise surprise Lab-Con pact for the rest of the year. But it did start in 2005. I'll find out.

That practice being that the Council collects water rates on behalf of United Utilities and gets a slice, or a splash of the proceeds.

As I understand it from the Middleton Guardian the current Centrefold-led crew, still directed by Smith C, Smith N and Rowen P, not to mention Hennigan D, have taken things a step further through Rochdale Boroughwide Housing which they control. With the pound signs lighting up in their wild staring eyes these Lib Dems have it seems BOUGHT UP any and all the Water Rates debt.

By definition the current debt book, plus the rump of the hard-to-collect super-poor. With an appropriately named ex-soldier (right) showing just how they are plumbing the depths with this anti-social and money-grubbing escalation.

They are expecting to MAKE A MILLION for the coffers by collecting this debt. And, although there was never an eviction under the old service level agreement - collecting on commission - the brave new world of Centre-fold led Lib Dems is it seems determined to escalate to the eviction option this time.

A small to middling commercial debt-collection matter with United Utilities not having a snowball's chance in Animal Farm of achieving an eviction, has been transformed into a means of turning poverty in Rochdale into homelessness in Rochdale.

And interestingly enough if and when they do this they'll be creating an extraordinarily expensive problem for a different cost centre/profit centre. This time direct within the Town Hall instead of arms lengt at RBH. Yes, that's right, they'll have to stick any evicted tenants into Bed and Breakfasts or other emergency accommodation at huge expense to other Council Tax payers. Brilliant! Top stuff from the Centrefold Party.


To help this along they've chosen someone with a criminal record as their first victim. But sadly not the career criminal Sir Cyril Smith MBE. One way or another he seems to be comfortably able to pay his bills. Even donate to his party.

Here's Councillor Wera Hobhouse explaining the policy in her Rochdale Online councillor diaries.

And here are some questions put to her as a result:

1. If this is not a ‘new’ policy as Councillor Wera Hobhouse claims, then why has Paul Rowen, who was leader of the Council when Wera says it was passed in 2005, said he remembers that a guarantee was given that no one would be evicted for water debt?
2. Similarly, why was the 2008 meeting held in private if, as Wera wrongly claims, the Lib Dems were only reaffirming an existing policy?
3. Why have they previously failed in court to obtain an eviction? Is it because the 2005 policy never mentioned ‘eviction’?
4. If the council are collecting on behalf of United Utilities, why are United Utilities informing tenants that they are no longer customers of United Utilities?
5. If the Council are collecting on behalf of United Utilities, why are unpaid water bills not sent back to United Utilities for Enforcement?
6. And why are they paying United Utilities up front (with tax payers’ money) for a debt they have yet to collect?
7. Why can a council tenant not pay United Utilities by direct debit?
8. And why are you continuing to criticise Councillor Lambert for “causing tenants to be concerned”? It’s the Lib Dems who have allowed the council to threaten tenants with eviction.
9. Why did the Lib Dems want to keep this policy secret, even from members of their own group?
10. Could she also please explain what the “extensive support” is that the Cabinet Member for Housing claims is offered to people struggling to pay their water rates? Does it compare to the support offered by the United Utilities Trust Fund, which has been taken away now that the council has bought the debt?
11. Finally, why are you confusing tenants by claiming they owe rent arrears when it is a water rates debt they owe?

Heywood Parish Priest, who married Dave Drunkagain at his church, back in the day, that's married to someone else of course, is musing on the bullock-brained Sheikh-down worker Cllr Elwyn Watkins' suggestion that HPP asks a question at the next Council meeting. here's his manifesto ...

I am not bothered, in a sense, who started the policy. What matters is that, whether they invented it or merely restated it, it is now clearly and unambiguously the policy of this administration that the council will, through RBH, evict any of its own tenants who fall behind in their payments for charges owed to United Utilities.
And their attempt to justify the policy on the grounds that the first person they are trying to evict has a criminal conviction is shameless.

Amen.

UPDATE Wed 11:45: Headline altered and first deck of text removed on request from Father Paul Daly who comments robustly and continuously as "Heywood Parish Priest". He doesn't he says think Rochdale Lib Dems are "bastards" or any such disrespectful term. They are all god's children after all. Apart perhaps from those on the dark side.

Rochdale Two Minutes Silence: Lib Dems Fight Dirty

Clearly the dirty dirty media manipulating bastardos paid by the tax payer to carry out Paul Rowen MP's every casework requirement are not paid to interfere on party political matters or indeed to protect the memory of scumbag asbestos-pants Sir Cyril or pants-on-fire Lord Norman Smith.

But Swish Tony condemnation of Cyril's asbestos cover up story does not end there. Scroll to the bottom half of Rochdale Online's exclusive where you'll see Dave Hennigan's lunking great helper Adam Power's dirty tricks campaign being discovered, overturned and publicized by Rochdale's finest.

Mr Lloyd’s intervention has also sparked fresh controversy after a member of the Rochdale Liberal Democrats' communication team tried to stop the Manchester MP from being heard.

Senior figures in Rochdale Labour Party have angrily condemned Adam Power after he contacted Rochdale Online to advise that Mr Lloyd’s remarks be removed from a news story last week because they had not been authorised by Mr Lloyd's office and could therefore be libelous against the MP himself.

Mr Power also said that the MP was threatening legal action against the Rochdale Labour Party for issuing the comments and that this could implicate Rochdale Online for publishing them.

It has since been revealed that Mr Power's claims were totally incorrect. Mr Lloyd's comments were fully authorised and the MP has spoken angrily about the actions of the Lib Dems in trying to silence his views.

When contacted by Rochdale Online, Mr Lloyd's Parliamentary Office clarified that the comments were a verbatim account of those released by the MP.

“This is the worst case of media bullying I have ever seen,” said Rochdale’s Labour Parliamentary Candidate, Simon Danczuk.

“The wheels are falling off Paul Rowen’s spin team and they need to be brought under control. To be telling blatant lies with the aim of suppressing a story that is this important to the people of Rochdale is a disgrace. I hope the Liberal Democrats will recognise this and discipline [Mr] Power accordingly.”

So, that'll be the end of the matter? Apart from the complaint to the Commissioners that is? Read all about it.

Rochdale Two Minutes Silence: Media Battle Resumes

This is verbatim from Rochdale Online yesterday:

MP condemns Sir Cyril's ‘ignorant’ asbestos stance

Reporter: Jan Harwood
Date online: 10/11/2008

Sir Cyril Smith has come under more pressure to apologise for claiming that “there is no danger to the public at large from asbestos”, as the Member of Parliament for Manchester Central has publicly condemned Sir Cyril, claiming that the town's former MP had “misled” the people of Rochdale.

Tony Lloyd MP expressed astonishment at the links that have been shown between Sir Cyril Smith and T&N following the publication of controversial correspondence on Rochdale Online between Sir Cyril and the asbestos giants.

Mr Lloyd said he would happily publicly debate asbestos safety issues with Sir Cyril and, as someone with personal experience of working with asbestos, he was keen to challenge Sir Cyril’s strong views on the subject.

"I worked at Turner Brothers in Trafford Park and was one of thousands of workers who Sir Cyril wrongly claims knew of the risks,” he said. “We did not and many have paid the ultimate price for this. Considering all the evidence and many thousands of asbestos-related deaths that we've seen over the past few decades, I am truly amazed that, as a former MP for a town badly hit by the tragedy of asbestos, Sir Cyril is still trotting out the ignorant arguments about the public not being at risk from asbestos.

"I hope he will now do the right thing and apologise for misleading people on the issue of asbestos safety."

... More follows ... Tony Lloyd (right) is seen above (L-R) with journalists Miles Barter, Paul Routledge, Mansoor Hussein.

Exclusive: Remembrance Sunday Cyril Special

Presumably Dave Hennigan of all people knows a liability when he sees one? And as a political operator sans pareil - according to his self-penned CV, strangely rejected for oh so many top Lib Dem jobs - he would know when to apply the proverbial barge pole to protect his paymaster? Meaning Paul Rowen MP. Rather than we the taxpayers who finance his Olympian drinking, roistering, bullying, fibbing, impersonating. anonymous blog commenting, Smith hagiography, and assorted shenanigans. Being a right Charlie - on the taxpayer.

But no, 'fraid not. Someone has been going through the archives of the Rochdale Observer and finding and commenting on leads to follow. And we'll get back to these in due course.

But as we approach the 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month we can at least say that Sir Cyril Smith MBE did the town proud on Remembrance Sunday. Can't we? Hardly going to Westminster - because he was a lazy old sod, and literally couldn't fit in the lift to his office shared with fellow pie-man John Prescott - but surely the old bugger Cyril and his brother in arms Cllr Norman proudly took his place at the Rochdale War Memorial without fail each and every year to remember Rochdale's fallen?

No, they did not. But why was this? The old hanger-and-flogger, asbestos apologist, hands-on exponent of sexualised corporal punishment must have some respectable basis for such a move?

Some kind of political correctness over the needless carnage of war from the Brothers Graspalot? Er, no. It did offer employment for cannon fodder after all. Protest at the stripping of, bullying of and general meddling with boy soldiers in bizarre ritual punishments at Deepcut of some other barracks? Er, twice no, that would be hypocritical and beyond the pale. Embarrassment at being unable to bend over to lay a wreath? There's a thought. But make that thrice no.

Aa a result of our recent appeal for anecdotes an old soldier from Cyril Town tells LOL exclusively that having joined the Royal British Legion they attended a members meeting. Many years ago now. The Chairman announced that since they had declined the Lib Dems kind offer to let them premises at Drake Street - that they had received a letter - from Norman on behalf of the Brothers Graspalot -
saying they (members of Rochdale British Legion) were not gentlemen.

Therefore, the old scrawler and relatively speaking scrawner continued, the disgusting old bastards Cyril and Norman would not in future be attending the Remembrance parade. And true to their word they've not been spotted at this most solemn of civic occasions ever since. Not a matter of principle. Just business.

The dignitaries are due to arrive from 10.50am and Councillor Alan Taylor, leader of the council, is urging residents to support the event.
He said: “I am always impressed by the number of people who attend each year. A lot of people don’t realise how many people turn out and I’m proud to be part of that. This year the ceremony falls on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, so it’s going to be even more poignant.
“I truly believe that it’s one of the best things about the borough and we’re hoping that this year it will be even better than ever.”
Mr Rowen added: “I will be delighted to attend the events in our town and remember not just our brave soldiers from the First and Second World Wars, but also our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“This is a time when the whole town comes together and remembers those who have made such enormous sacrifices for us.”
Veterans are being reminded that free advice on a variety of issues ranging from war pensions to welfare, campaign medals to benefits is available throughout the year. For more information, call 0800 169 2277 or visit Veterans UK.

That'll be the whole town apart from Mr Rochdale, or rather for now Sir Rochdale, and his fraternal sidekick Normski. By a bizarre twist the Parade of young and old will have assembled on Mere Street and is even now making its way past the Lib Dem Headquarters - subject of some bizarre renting arrangements down the years, but not to the RBL - with an eyes left and a silent raspberry for Sir Cyril from all veterans in the know.



FOOTNOTE: As well as today's traditional wreath laying at the Cenotaph in Rochdale there will be a cannon shot fired at 11 am this Tuesday 11th November to signal a two-minute silence report Rochdale Online.

Sir Squirrel Smith Facebook: Doubles Overnight

We reported recently how person or persons unknown, with just the right amount of time on their idle hands have launched a new blog, by t'name of RAW - Rochdale Alternative Website - in homage to RAP - Rochdale Alternative Paper.

And LOL have helped launch a new Facebook Group calling for Sir Cyril to be demoted in disgrace to plain old Cyril. This now has more than 20 members and is growing at a rate of 100% per 24 hours.

Above, ne'er do well local gang leader Sir Cyril Smith MBE, models the new Rochdale Lib Dem party tabard that could in future help people see him and them coming. Even the low level criminal Hennigan will be issued with one. Hurrah!

EARLY DAY MOTION: If I were a betting man I'd put some swag on an EDM backing our facebook campaign to be tabled in the next fortnight.

(Sir) Cyril Smith: Launch Of New Facebook Group

Interest in our latest Cyril Smith story continues to bubble along. As a result of Kevin Maguire's visit to 14 Emma Street, Rochdale to beard the man in his lair, and specifically
his call for Cyril to be stripped (of his knighthood) we are pleased to announce a new Facebook Group. Love Him or Loath him Sir Cyril Smith Must Now Be Stripped Of His Knighthood?.

For the moment this is unmoderated and we rely on self-censorship and responsibility. Please play nice. The question mark at the end is deliberate and other views are welcome.

CAVEAT: Other Cyril Smith related Facebook Groups exist. The Cyril Smith fan Club His Life and Times which appears to be an unsuccessful Weightwatchers Survivor Support Group, and The Official Birthday Bash, as it were.

UPDATE Fri 09:56: Strip Sir Cyril has now overtaken the Cheese and Onion Pie Fan Club. Hoping for an EDM in the very near future ... watch this space.

Cyril-occhio: Needn't Work There, Could've Left

Sir Cyril Smith OBE, former MP came out fighting on BBC Northwest. Claiming there was and is no danger to the general public and that those who worked at TBA in Rochdale's Spodden Valley knew the dangers and could've left.

This interview was recorded just days after a young woman from the region died from the effects of cancer either from her school, or from her walk to school which went close by a builders' yard. Cyril's protege Paul Rowen MP, who started working for the old chump as an enthusiastic if confused 17 year old boy, in short trousers as it were, continues to protest that the stuff is safe and that with particular reference to schools.

Though he has sponsored a soft-headed Asbestos EDM that rather exports the problem from his own backyard where there remains a plan to build family houses on what amounts to an unregulated and undocumented asbestos dump. More anon. And not only from LOL I'll be bound. Will the Rochdale Observer ever break cover?

Is their own building on Drake Street, now being marketed for development, perchance riddled with the stuff?

UPDATE Tuesday: Apologies to Squirrel Smith. He got an MBE not the old Other Buggers' Efforts OBE. Member Behaving Egregiously anyone? Someone tell Dave what that means.

Guido Fawkes: Spreading Mandy-Oleg Tapes Rumour

Or starting it. HERE. Although that was at teatime. I was on my way to Rochdale by then and missed it. Yet if you look HERE you will find that on my return from the home of Gracie Fields, Lisa Stansfield, The Rochdale Pioneers, and the bare botty spanker Cyril "Asbestos is Good For You" Smith, I did wonder:

Don't think that anyone can be blamed for not outing the possible transaction before this spat, because this law (PPERA 2000) is bad law and unless there are photos, CCTV, audio tapes, documents yet to emerge - imagine that! - this is a case of he said, she said.

So, perhaps, tape of some description has emerged? Or not.

Slap Happy: Rochdale's Dark Satanic Schoolmaster

Given the mighty allegations against slap-happy Cyril, chastising the bare asses of miscreant youths of a tender age at Cambridge House in Rochdale, it was interesting to see former headteacher Paul Rowen squirming on a Party People special on smacking presented by Rob McLoughlin.

Rowen was against parents smacking. But regretted his own smack happy behaviour of the past when he had held the whip hand in schools.


Would Sir Cyril Smith MBE be against parents smacking? Remembering he wanted to hang the innocent and atrociously badly represented - by former Tory Asbestos Minister Baron Waddington - Stephan Kisko for a crime actually committed, as it turned out, by a scion of a prominent Cyril-supporting Lib Dem household in the town.

Would Sir Cyril Smith MBE like to apologise for his own abuse of power in smacking, bollock-grabbing and wet sponge mangling in smack-victims' bedrooms activities?

And while we're at it:

Would Sir Cyril Smith MBE like to admit his terrible misjudgements over the safety of Asbestos, past present and future?

Comedy Councillors: Rochdale Lib Dems Slap Schtick

Readers may remember one Councillor Dale Mulgrew - supervisor of one of the worst Social Care services in the country - getting touchy recently over his dad Jimmy Cricket's ridiculous welly boot award.

Many thanks to the alert reader who draws my attention to this Rochdale Online report in which our hero was elected, rather unexpectedly.

Dale is naturally incredibly proud of all his father's hilarious achievements. Mentioning - in his acceptance speech this is - that "Cricket's new CD, of Irish Songs, is out and a snip at only a tenner!"

Paul Rowen MP said, "This was a result that sent shockwaves through the Labour ranks. It just goes to show that positive campaigns win elections. It was quite clear that Dale's fight was not with the other parties but to improve Balderstone and Kirkholt."

But this was in fact a vote for comedy Paul. Tragi-comedy as it turned out. Mulgrew's Balderstone & Kirkholt improved so much that it has made a National Top 100 Chart! Slipping from absolutely nowhere into the top 100 most deprived areas in Britain! And Social Care from one star poor to no star laughable.

Rowen continued: "I have known Dale for many years and I am not surprised that he is now a member of our growing team. His Godfather is none other than my predecessor, Sir Cyril Smith MBE. I know that Cyril is absolutely delighted.

To adapt from Jimmy's marvellous patter: "Really it was killer asbestos*. But business is business." Hollow belly laughter echoes down the guilty ginnels and haunted back passages of Emma Street. * Moses in 'Jewish Stereotype' "joke".

The Friday Cyril: Wednesday's Rochdale Obbie Postbag

Something is afoot down Rochdale Observer way. We have received iron clad 100% insider information that the RO postbag is running massively against Cyril Smith, against Norman Smith, against Asbestos lies, against current Lib Dem praise for the whole sick crew. And the Wednesday postbag was running 10-2 against Cyril these last three weeks i.e. somethingly reflecting the volume, unlike Saturday's effort which was at a completely false 50:50. this being the major edition of the week.

This week Wednesday turned to 50:50 too. Though it must be said that the pro-Cyril missives still look like ghost-written nonsense. What is going on? Come on Rochdale Observer: as your grown up cousin The Guardian says, Facts are Sacred but Comment is Free. Please come on here and comment on your part in the Cyril Smith / TBA cover up.



Above we hear from my friend Tom Stott who is a former Rochdale councillor, former TBA employee and current community activist and Trade Unionist.

Here on the right we have a most extraordinary lauding of Sir Cyril Smith MBE as a "honourable man". Don't make us laugh "Frances Deakin". Below (left) we see Cyril's rabid brother Norman put very much in his place. The devious, dishonest, disreputable old cadger that he is. Though we're not sure where the idea of Rowen being anything but in favour of the MMC homes on asbestos dust proposals came from.

And finally below (right) we have another apologia for TBA apparently doing "everything possible", though at least with the good sense to stand against new housing on the asbestos tip.



POSTSCRIPT: Perhaps today's "Saturday" Postbag will include the proper 5-1 or 7-1 ration of letters condemning Cyril and his cronies? Don't hold your breath.

Comedy Writ Threatened: Order of the Boot from JC

It's not every day one gets threatened with a comedy writ. But today's one of those days. Someone purporting to be a representative of Jimmy Cricket has written to me asking me to remove the "defamatory content" from this humourous look at JC's just-for-fun welly boot award.

I can't see any defamatory content. But I've added a question mark after "putting something back into Jimmy's bank account if nothing else?" because the press release or whatever the great man gave to the Rochdale Obbie does not confirm for certain whether all the gigs that Kath from Wardle organised for JC resulted in any pay for JC.

Perhaps it is defamatory to say he just looks after those that look after him? He does lots of charidee gigs after all. Including for that Big Pudding Cyril Smith. But so local people say. And like Norman and Cyril I'm not about to commit myself either way. I'll put an "or disagree" in that line to make that completely clear - like Norman and Cyril do when it comes to asbestos under people's homes.

Perhaps it is defamatory these days to suggest he is a Rochdale Lib Dem?!

No doubt Councillor Dale Mulgrew, for it was he, issuing the threats in the most extraordinary pidgin law lingo, or British Actors Equity who he has invoked, will explain the nature of the defamation to me so I can make the necessary adjustments.

Cllr Mulgrew - who has presided over a most appalling Rochdale Social Care set up and its jaw droppingly bad audit reports, and much else of extreme de-merit - has persuaded me with his talking rough in jolly cod legalise and from some strange email account to boot that I should perhaps remove JC's image from the site.

All pictures of JC are his copyright avers DM. Is that right? Really??

But for now at least I'm doing that. With a spot (or a check) of my homage to Bridget Riley instead. But what a bunch of daft so-and-sos these Rochdale Lib Dems are.

It'd be funny ... but sadly it's only Cyril Smith's friend Jimmy Cricket.

The Wednesday Cyril: Shame on Your Death Fibre

We're guessing that the one letter of support for Turner and Newall and old Dick Badami (below), the industrial illness and safety "expert" with a specialism in graphite rather than asbestos, on the Rochdale Obbie letters page will be somewhat undermined by this Coroner's report (above, and extract below):

Asbestos had part in death of pensioner

"An industrial cancer contributed to the death of a pensioner who worked at the former Turner and Newall asbestos factory, an inquest heard ... Mr Hilton had told members of his family he remembered that the warehouse was very dusty and would often find his overalls covered in dust ... He said: "I knew it was nasty stuff and I used to put a hankerchief over my mouth ...". The Coroner said "It is clear that malignant mesothelomoma was acquired during his employment at Turners." He added: "It is surprising how many individuals I come across who are still unaware of both the causal factors and the symptoms they suffer from so terribly. That's the reason why these cases still need to be publicised."

Perhaps Sir Cyril Smith MBE and brother Norman Smith MBE will read this report and suddenly have a Road to Damascus moment? Then again, you cannot teach an old dog new tricks. They may instead grasp at the Coroner's verdict of Natural Causes despite presence of a malignant mesithelomoma. How many more deaths have been so recorded? More on the following letter anon.