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?

Agent David Hennigan: Defies Alcohol Exclusion Zone

Rochdale Lib Dems: 2nd Home Tramp Squatting in Office

For the duration of the last push of Transport Innovation Fund campaign LOL did not publish anything about the hysterically-bad-Rochdale Lib Dems. We even took down a goodly portion of our Rochdale archive to save upsetting the children as we pushed for a Tram for Wythenshawe, and the rest. This wasn't noticed or reciprocated by Dave Hennigan, full time politico, fully paid we understand by the tax payer.

We may come back to that. It is rare to see a man provide a running commentary by email to an increasing circle of observers as he loses his marbles with beer consumption. Rare indeed. We'll see. We also have some catching up to do as Rochdale Lib Dem perfidy and stupidity has not in fact ceased over the last two months.

Here's a start.


If you live in glass houses the general consensus is that you shouldn't throw stones. So why is Mr Dave Hennigan (above, once the LOL graphics department have sorted out the night vision photograph) using his generally red-faced and always hopeless little Frankenstein monster Paul Rowen MP to throw stones at the government? About secrecy over MPs expenses of all things?

Rochdale Alternative Website, a cowardly bunch of anonymites, have the story, like a little birthday present for LOL:

Rochdale Lib Dems in second home expenses scandal?

On the day the Paul Rowen MP hailed a Lib Dem victory in ensuring MP's expenses are made public, his troubled Agent David Hennigan has stumbled into controversy.

The clearly tired and emotional Spin Doctor was seen in Rochdale Town centre in the early hours of this morning. The dishevelled public figure smelt of intoxicants and staggered up Drake Street clutching a pizza whilst inpecting the failed regeneration project sites of the Rochdale Development Agency.

He was spotted entering the Rochdale Lib Dem offices at 1.30am. It appears he spent the night there. Was this on party business? If so how is Paul Rowen ensuring his staff abide by the Working Time Directive? After all, Mr Rowen is shadow, shadow DWP No.2.

Rumours persist that Mr Hennigan has slept in the Rochdale Lib Dem Drake Street offices on a number of occasions in similar circumstances.

It is understood Mr Hennigan left his marriage and Stockport home last year to spend more time with his politics. In doing so he decamped to a flat in Heywood. His landlord is Lib Dem Councillor Peter Rush. Dave publicly remarked that his move to Heywood would be a positive thing for the town. Despite his arrival the local economy has declined and several pubs have closed.

Mr Hennigan's nocturnal habits and sleeping arrangements pose a problem for his boss Paul Rowen MP. The politics of yob culture and binge drinking issues aside, his public stand on ensuring MP's expenses are fully accountable may backfire.

In the spirit of openness that Mr Rowen has nailed his colours to, will Rochdale's MP answer these simple questions?

-Is Dave Hennigan's salary paid for out of MP's expenses? If so, what pay scale is he on? How does this equate to other members of his staff?

-Is any of Adam Power's wage paid for by Parliamentary expenses?

-How much has the rent for the Lib Dem offices increased by? Has this increase been paid for out of Parliamentary expenses?

-If Mr Hennigan sleeps at the Drake Street offices, does this comply with planning conditions (for office use only) and Council Tax. And what about the smell for co-workers the morning after?

-If this Drake Street address is classed as a second Parliamentary home, will he disclose his John Lewis list?

-Does the Drake Street office have recycling bins to deal with domestic waste (cans, bottles, pizza boxes etc?

Rochdale Lib Dem Mohammed Shafiq, Cheif Executive of UK's leading Muslim youth organisation, the Ramadhan Foundation, was unavailable for comment.

Panorama have been informed.

If I were Paul Rowen, Dave Hennigan and secret helper/intern/non-employee/liar Adam Power I'd be standing by my beds for some FOI enquiries over expenses and the like.

More Propaganda: Donal Blaney is Potty Calling Kettle Black

Our dear friend Donal Blaney excelled himself yesterday. Not only does he drag in old Adolf Hitler as a substitute for having an argument for the second day on the trot. But he also throws some fierce stones from a very fragile grass house.

Essentially he is complaining about a fella from Rochdale - name of Mohammed Shafiq, Head of the Ramahdan Foundation and as I understand it an advisor to Nick Clegg on community relations and a Lib Dem candidate to boot.

On four main counts:

One: Shafiq is whoring himself around the media as a rent-a-quote on anything and everything connected with being a Muslim in Britain, even though he has not been elected as a spokesman for these communities.

Whereas Donal Blaney whores himself around the media as a rent-a-quote on anything and everything connected with being a Muslim in Britain, and other matters, even though he has not been elected as a spokesman for these communities.

Two: In a debate on BBC Radio with fellow unelected media whore Donal Blaney Mr Shafiq refused to condemn; or possibly even spoke up for Hizb_ut-Tahrir which is a rather right wing islamist organisation, a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, though committed to exclusively non-violent means.

Whereas the Tories and Donal Blaney are yet to provide any excuse, apology of disciplining/ejecting of those involved in a cynical collaboration of Hizb_ut-Tahrir with the official Tory machine in Whalley Range Manchester in last year's council elections.

Three: Mohammed Shafiq, is director of a sinister muslim youth organisation called The Ramadhan Foundation.

Whereas Donal Blaney is Chief Executive of a sinister conservative organisation called The Young Britons’ Foundation (YBF) which seeks to develop hatred and dirty tricks among Future Conservative front benchers. If they don't get chucked out first.

Four: Mohammed Shafiq allegedly attempts to smear those he disagrees with as racists

Whereas Donal Blaney demonstrably uses Hitler's name in vain along with charges of anti-semitism for the same job

Donal has a point of course about Shafiq being an unelected careerist loud mouth ... But then he's not elected himself now is he? In fact he probably has rather less in the way of official status than his foe?

Just a right wing dick head shouting his mouth off? Bit of a careerist? Willing to go on media at the drop of a hat? Passing on his ideas to future generations? Willing to get deep into smearage? Description fits both of these brothers in arms like a glove.

As we wrote yesterday: Propaganda: Donal Blaney is a Right Wing Islamophobic Loon where you will find disclaimers and background on the photoshopping.

POSTSCRIPT Tues 12:18: Yes, this is the very same Mohammed Shafiq who buddied up to Sir Cyril, was marginalised by Paul Rowen and David Hennigan, but has now it seems kissed and made up.

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?

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.

Photoshop 101: Farewell Then Everybody Hates Chris

For the past couple of months Labour of Love have had a moronic anonymous sock puppet calling themselves "Everybody Hates Chris" - though some say it is former Tory council candidate Rob Adlard a picture of whom or a look-a-like with Audenshaw Tories formed part of EHC's evidence - and commenting off topic, mildly off colour, and grossly off the scale for stupidity.

Their finest hour perhaps was their repeated assertions, citing evidence including once having stood next to a reprographics expert at a public urinal*, that a local sub postmaster in Rochdale, protesting outside the MP's office on Drake Street at their shoddy non-selection treatment by the Paul Rowen/Dave Hennigan/Adam Power corruption trioka, presumably overseen by asbestos-pants Cyril and pants-on-fire Norman, have been up to no good with Photoshop.

Banners have all been faked it seems. Added in later. Not just enhanced after the fact for clarity mind, even that much is untrue. But hands are in the wrong places. There has even been a woman flown into the background of the picture.

No evidence for the defamatory comments, no particular logic, just gut instinct.

Labour of Love would like to celebrate the once and for all departure under a cloud of this odious, gutless, witless, humourless creep by publishing - for the first time worldwide - the full sequence of photographs passed to me from the protest. With their original sequence of DSC numbers to identify them (click to enlarge):











Deliberately displayed - to throw EHC off the scent - in the reverse order to which they were taken. Study the shadows carefully and you can probably prove this.

We can also reveal exclusively that the assembled mass protestors sadly but CATEGORICALLY DID NOT move on for an all day drinking session to Dave's favourite public houses.

* This bit made up for effect.

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.

Stockport's Hennigan: Wanker Walker Keeps On Taking

Remember Cllr Christian Walker? The drunken Lib Dem Councillor and Lib Dem MEP assistant who rocked up to Portwood Tesco's at 2 AM? That was after a Lib Dem office party. And he was very much the worse for wear.

Tesco refused to serve him. And in the course of the effing and blinding that followed he aimed racist insults at a policemen, going on as he was thrown in a police cell to call the man gay.

This extremely anti-social Lib Dem thug was lucky to escape with a fine of just £200 and costs of just £300. And in the course of the trial, being asked whether his behaviour - ‘yelping and yodelling’ - was normal, he was cocky and stupid enough to state that it was among the people he represents on the Council.

Those people assumed that after that he'd have the good grace to resign, or if not be kicked off the council. But this money-grubbing drunkard has decided to stick it out. The Lib Dems have not particularly condemned him, but they have eased him out of their group. For the time being. While Lib Dem Chris Davies MEP his former boss offered little more than "Boys will be boys"

Residents in Brinnington and Central Ward, Stockport were shocked and disgusted that this disgraceful elected representative is insisting on staying as their councillor.

So they have petitioned for the drunken, racist, homophobic, elected as Lib Dem, incompetent muppet to resign. One correspondent, who shall remain nameless has suggested that he would be a welcome addition to the Rochdale Lib Dem franchise! Here's a taste of the Stockport Express Advertiser report:

Shopkeeper Mafooz Ahmed of Mo’s Supermarket, Brinnington said: "We have started a petition because many people in the community want him to resign. He has got to apologise to people in this ward. We have been here 15 years and the majority of people are decent and wouldn’t go around behaving like he did; abusing people.
"He’s a councillor and should behave better. And I personally feel offended too - I am originally from Pakistan, he comes into my shop and I don’t want him causing trouble like he did in Tesco. I’m having a meeting with other shopkeepers to see how they feel and if he doesn’t apologise I think we will be banning him from the shops in the area."
Christine Johnson, of Middlesex Road, Brinnington, has also started a petition to send to the Standards Committee.
She said: "People were under the impression that all this was cut and dried after he was convicted and that he would no longer be able to stand as a councillor. But now they’ve realised he can still stand, they’re up in arms and want to do something about it. His job is to work for people in the whole ward, including the town centre - it’s what he gets paid for - but how can anyone trust him now when they have no faith in him after what he has said."
[...]
In response, Chris (sic) Walker said: "I don’t have to step down. I’ve been elected by the people of the ward and that’s that. If they want me to go then they will vote that way at the next election. Nobody up here cares what Chris Murphy thinks.
"So everytime I sneeze or have an argument or something with someone I’m supposed to step down and have an election costing the council thousands of pounds? What a ridiculous suggestion."

Roy Gregory, a self-described exile from the town, commented at the paper: "Ah, the sights and sounds of democracy in action. Anyone considered running him out of town on a rail? After duly tarring and feathering, of course."

Lib Dems: Councillor in Racial and Homophobic Slur

Drunken councillor who has been to a "works leaving do" spends three hours in pubs and three hours in an all-you-can-drink-for-a-tenner club and surprise surprise ends up rat arsed. He then proceeds in a northerly direction to the 24 hour Tescos at Portwood, Stockport in an attempt to get a carry out. Security guards tell him he's had enough. He gets abusive, including racially to a police constable. And on being arrested he calls the police officer "a homosexual".

Manchester Evening News reports on what seems a thoroughly inadequate sentence.

This reminds me of another drunken Lib Dem councillor or rather ex-councillor of my acquaintance who has also had trouble telling the difference between a cheeky banter and wind up and out and out racism.

Pictorial clue (left). Councillor Christian Walker (above) apparently works for Chris Davies MEP as a 'phone canvasser.

UPDATE Wed 8:49: The Daily Telegraph report that (a) the drunken leaving party was for a colleague at Chris Davies' office where he worked as a researcher; (b) Chris Davies MEP has made some "boys will be boys" comments; (c) Christian Walker now works for the Lib Dem region, arguably much the same difference; (d) the Councillor is on some kind of suspension. Who was Christian Walker's accomplice? Was it the leaver themselves?

UPDATE Thu 11:21: A rumour is gathering momentum that Cllr Walker's late night accompaniment was none other than ex-Councillor Dave Hennigan, Paul Rowen MP's full time Political Organiser, though paid by the taxpayer as a constituency worker. He was or is a member in Stockport through his home in the Heatons. Now in Heywood we believe. Can anyone confirm the identity of the second Tesco drunk?

Paddy Power: Paying Out Now on Obama for President?

No, Dave Hennigan, that's not you! So says Mike Smithson who had the true grit to recommend a 50-1 bet - following his own advice - on 26 May 2005. Good stuff.

Saturday Cyril: 50:50 Rochdale Obbie Run Goes ON

Two plus two. Last three weeks: Wednesdays - 10 - 2 AGAINST Sir Squirrel; Saturdays - 6 -6 LEVEL PEGGING. Click to enlarge. Pro-Asbestos ones seem desperately similar in drafting style. Rochdale Observer still farming letters to make Cyril, and Hennigan and Rowen by the way, look less bad.

Rochdale Lib Dem Franchise: Membership Shenanigans

My favourite troll Chris, of the Everybody Hates variety, has challenged the authenticity of the picture at the head of this story. He says it is clearly doctored.

The post of course is about the accounts submitted by Rochdale Lib Dems to the Electoral Commission which show inter alia a HALVING of constituency membership between 2004 and 2005. And here were 17 more members resigning.

Coinciding with the election of a Lib Dem MP. Quite strange. A far greater rate of attrition even that that suffered by the unconvincing Tory new Deal Dave Cameron. Here is another picture from the protest.

I've done some digging and I'm certain that such a picture was used by Rochdale Online, possibly by Rochdale Observer in their print edition too. The professional stylee placards may have been produced because the victim of Paul Rowen/Dave Hennigan reversal of the de-selection of one of their dodgy mates - Javed the postmaster, at the centre of the picture with documents allegedly demonstrating the Rowen/Hennigan scam - believed that Channel M, the local TV station would be covering the story.

Sadly they did not turn up. Our old friend Dave Hennigan claimed to his media contacts at first that the protest had never taken place! Despite the photographic evidence. He had been in the office all day on the Friday he said. In fact the picture was taken on the Saturday morning when we might speculate that Dave was lying in a drunken heap of empty bottles and donner kebab somewhere in Levenshulme. Or, let's be kind, not in the Drake Street office at any rate.

Anyhow, I digress. This instance - with Rowen's people disqualifying several of Javed's supporters but none of their man's from the selection vote - is not the first involving Rowen and disputed membership credentials.

Paul Rowen had to go through a re-run of his own selection as Parliamentary Candidate as there was an alleged serious irregularity in his selection. Involving membership status. Here's the full story:

‘Cleared’ Rowen set for Lib Dem rerun
Ben Turner
11/11/2003

THE battle to become the new Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Rochdale is back on.

After being scrapped in February due to claims of four breaches of selection rules, the contest is reopening - with the original four candidates standing again.

The election was not re-advertised because the party felt it would be unfair to allow anyone else to enter at this late stage.

One complaint which caused the postponement was that one of the candidates, Councillor Paul Rowen, who was beaten by sitting Labour MP, Lorna Fitzsimons, in the 2001 general election, had received the support of a delegate who was not entitled to vote.

Councillor Rowen, leader of the Lib Dems on Rochdale Council, welcomed news that the election was back on and claimed the decision had cleared his name.

"The main thing I am pleased about is that the appeal committee has completely dismissed the allegations made about the previous selection - that I brought someone to vote who wasn't entitled to vote.

"People were making accusations against me and I am pleased that I have now been cleared."

The only reason it was being re-run, he said, was an error in the numbering of ballot papers.

He did not believe that the delay in resolving the issue had affected his standing in the party.

One of the other candidates, Alison Firth, a Withington councillor in Manchester, said: "I understand the matter is moving forward and I look forward to having written confirmation of it as soon as possible."

The other two candidates are Alison Seabourne, a Liberal Democrat member in Tameside, and Jackie Piercey, a Gorton councillor. No date has yet been announced for the re-selection, but with an election likely in the next two years, it is expected to be soon.

Dave Smithson, North West regional chairman of the Liberal Democrats, said the contest had to take place entirely behind closed doors.

"This is an internal party matter, but when the selection has been completed, an announcement will be made. We want to get it done sooner rather than later so the chosen candidate can get on with the job of winning back the seat."

As we reported yesterday membership in the constituency PLUMMETED between December 2004 before the General election and 2005 afterward. Very strange. But then what isn't when it comes to Rochdale's Lib Dem franchise?

Paul Rowen MP: Inaction in Deeplish, In Action at HoP

Lovely to see Paul Rowen MP on his feet in the house just yesterday:

Paul Rowen (Shadow Minister, Work & Pensions; Rochdale, Liberal Democrat) | >In context
I am sure that my hon. Friend is aware that there is a part of my constituency where three quarters of people are on one form of benefits or another; I know that the Secretary of State is aware of that, because he visited my constituency earlier this year. Does my hon. Friend agree that that illustrates the fact that the Government have patently failed to do anything to get those people back to work?

What a useless contribution. This is places like Deeplish where the Hon member was a ward councillor for many years, failing to bring anything to the party, propagating misery and a dependency culture. This is where Labour have planted Nye Bevan House which name almost shocked Rowen as much, when Alan Johnson uttered it at the opening, as James Purnell's rebuke that "he had not read the report" when the Minister visited Rowen's constituency and PR talked crap.

Hennigan of course threw his toys at that very accurate observation.

T'Other Dave's Decline: Rochdale Lib Dem Members

UPDATE 14:29: Above are some of seventeen resigning Lib Dem members pictured in March 2008 when their favoured candidate who had won a selection race, tipping out one of Mr Rowen's friends In Mr Rowen's old ward as I recall, but been ruled out by partisan returning officers who checked the membership status of only the "opposition voters" and wrongly - it is alleged - ruled some ineligible though they were paid up.

In the accompanying news story Rowen's muscular yet cry baby agent Dave Hennigan, who is thought to have assisted the returning officer with advice if not physical assistance, disingenuously claimed a net growth in membership numbers. So 146 on 31 December 2005, who knows what losses between 1 Jan 2006 and March 2008 during which 17 more members were lost.

All coinciding with Dave Hennigan's nightmare reign of terror at Drake Street. <<< UPDATE ends.

Lib Dems in Rochdale will be keeping their members to themselves. Even worse declines than Dave Cameron's Conservatives. A real toxic droop in fact in the months after Dave Hennigan (right, remember tax payers pay his wages) arrived on the scene, and got his feet under the table.

Membership on 31 December 2004: 307

Membership on 31 December 2005: 146

Dave Hennigan arrived on the scene in October 2004, paid for his political activity by some mysterious collusion of Liberal Democrats and their mysterious backers via Saint Squirrel's Emma Street Nest or otherwise.

On Paul Rowen MP's election by 442 votes after what the Rochdale Libdemologists themselves describe as "a particularly fractitious tussle" Mr Hennigan's employment was taken over by the MP:

As they say themselves in the accounts to 31 December 2005, lodged with the Electoral Commission on 08 May 2006:

8. Salaries

There were no salaries to be included because the local MP through his Parliamentary allowances now covers all such overheads.

Even though January, February, March and part of April were before the election period began and before the new MP took to the Parliamentary Allowances gravy no salaries whatsoever are shown. Perhaps they were all included in the candidates' declaration of campaign expenses?

In the accounts to 31 December 2004, lodged with the EC on 07 March 2006 they had attempted an explanation of the workforce:

4. Salaries

We have 2 paid staff. One is employed by the (Liberal Democrat) group but it is estimated that 50% of her time if spent on Party activities. Towards the end of the year another member of staff was employed who works 100% on party matters. Both are reflected in the Salaries.

That's £5,635.45 between a 50% party admin worker (12 months) and a 100% party political worker (3 months). In 2003 the admin worker is recorded as getting £657.03. Of course Rochdale Constituency is not the only one in the Council area, and I think these accounts are supposed to be for the Town constituency only.

Various other contrivances and shenanigans are exposed, directly or in conjunction with declarations of donations, in some of the most inept accounts probably ever lodged with the Electoral Commission. No accounts have been lodged to 31.12.06 or 31.12.07. Indicating either lateness or that this Lib Dem accounting unit did not reach £25,000 turnover in 2006 or 2007. They also declared no donations for those periods.

UPDATE 13:29: Minor edit for clarity/information to add question about 2005 salaries and campaign period.

The Sunday Highagain: Rowen's Vicarious Liability

A comment at this post on Dave Hennigan's toy throwing tantrum that succeeded in getting reasonable comments on the Rochdale Online forum from yours truly removed - under threat that DH would stop posting there if I was allowed to - suggests that the proprietors could be done under "vicarious liability" rules for a supposed "potentially defamatory" comment.

In fact there was no such content in my post. But there was in Dave Hennigan's arsey rebuke - which can be seen at the link.

The only person who could suffer under "vicarious liability" in these exchanges is Paul Rowen MP who employs Hennigan, using tax payers money, for allegedly non party political purposes, and who fails at every stage to control the over-enthusiastic toxicity of his star employee.

Often but often reaching defamation (not potential defamation mind) in verbal briefings to the press, comments in fora, public and private remarks, including for example over the deejay's microphone at the Rochdale business Awards, and naturally in writing too. He cannot help himself.

Dave is addicted to vile bile. And Rowen is failing to control him. We, the taxpayers, are funding his position.

The Friday Cyril: Hennigan's Eid Slander on Abdul

ENNIGAN! Mentioned in passing before. This is a comment at Rochdale Online made by Paul Rowen MP's Constituency Assistant Dave Hennigan, paid entirely from Rowen's Allowances but doing little that is not party political the whole long day.

Abdul Chowdry - whose name Hennigan cannot seem to bring himself to spell correctly even in his later apologies for apologies - was a well loved community activist, trade Unionist, councillor and nationally recognised health and safety professional.



Abdul Chowdry gets a mention in this Rochdale online story, concerning a pilgrimage by Japanese mesothelioma expert Dr Natori Yuji who described Turner and Newall's Spodden Valley killing fields base as a "world famous example of asbestos exposure".

Dave Hennigan and his boss Paul Rowen MP received a barrage of complaints from citizens, voluntary groups and even their own councillors at Drunkagain's malicious, disrespectful and untrue characterisations. Forcing a fearful Hennigan into his meally mouthed apologies.

Dave Hennigan Throws Toys: Censors Local Media

Have achieved the remarkable feat of getting so far up Dave Hennigan's bulbous nose that he used one of his "ring a friend" favours and got a perfectly reasonable comment from me removed from the community forum at Rochdale Online. The comment listed the party affiliations under which Sir Smith had been an elected member. Dave came out with this, and I replied thus:



Where exactly do Rochdale Lib Dems stand these days on free speech? Is this really the tradition of proper Liberals Cobden, Bright and (cough, cough) "Liberal" Smith? Hugely entertaining stuff. Here I go again (also deleted):



Thanks to Rochdale Online for efforts to Keep Hennigan Happy!

Among his public threats being that he would stop contributing to the forums if my comment was allowed to stand. he said I had nothing to do with Rochdale. In fact I am spending the weekend interviewing 30 or so Rochdaleians on behalf of serious world media! Cyril will need to get going with a ring round to stop them all spilling the beans.

I wonder if anyone has any screen grabs? Oh, yes, what's this? Just in case. Will come in handy. Now added - 22:16.