IICSA Inquiry-Westminster 29 March 2019 1 Friday, 29 March 2019 1 various matters that arose during Ms Reason's evidence. 2 (10.00 am) 2 That is GNP001006. 3 THE CHAIR: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the final 3 We invite you to adduce the witness statement of 4 day of this public hearing. Ms Beattie? 4 Christopher Horne, dated March 2019. Mr Horne describes 5 Witness statements adduced by MS BEATTIE 5 how, during the 1972 by-election, there was talk that 6 MS BEATTIE: Good morning, chair. Before we turn to closing 6 Cyril Smith had committed sexual offences with young 7 submissions, there is some further evidence that we 7 boys. Mr Horne, who was a supporter of the Conservative 8 would invite you to adduce. The first is the second 8 Party candidate, David Trippier, says the local police 9 witness statement of Gary Richardson, a detective 9 took action to ensure that this information was not 10 superintendent British Transport Police, dated 10 disseminated, including by a police visit to the 11 13 March 2019. This concerns email correspondence 11 Conservative Party campaign office where the police said 12 received by the British Transport Police from 12 that any mention of Cyril Smith's predilection for young 13 North Wales Police in 2017 about Peter Morrison being 13 boys would be treated as a criminal offence and lead to 14 taken off a train at Crewe Railway Station. The British 14 an order to stay out of the by-election. That reference 15 Transport Police did not take any further action in 15 is INQ004206. 16 relation to this. 16 The next is a witness statement from 17 The exhibit to that statement shows that email 17 Sir David Trippier, dated 19 March 2019. As already 18 correspondence between North Wales Police and the BTP, 18 mentioned, David Trippier was a Conservative MP and 19 and the references are OHY007098 for the statement, and 19 previously an elected member of Rochdale Council who got 20 for the exhibit, OHY007099. 20 to know Cyril Smith well. He was the Conservative Party 21 The next is a supplementary witness statement of 21 candidate in the 1972 by-election. He says that during 22 Liz Reason, Chair of the Executive of the Green Party of 22 the campaign, it was widely known among all the 23 England and Wales, dated 21 March 2019. Chair, you will 23 political parties that there were allegations of 24 recall that Ms Reason gave evidence to the inquiry on 24 a sexual nature involving Cyril Smith and young boys, 25 Thursday, 14 March, and this statement deals with 25 that allegations had been investigated by the police and Page 1 Page 2 1 a decision had been taken not to take any further 1 adduce, and that concludes, chair, the evidence in this 2 action. That is INQ004207. 2 investigation, and I would invite you to turn to closing 3 The witness statement of Peter Batey, dated 3 submissions. 4 25 March 2019. Mr Batey worked as Sir Edward Heath's 4 THE CHAIR: Thank you, Ms Beattie. Mr Scorer? 5 private secretary from the summer of 1982 5 Closing statement by MR SCORER 6 to February 1986, based on the parliamentary estate. He 6 MR SCORER: Chair and panel, in my opening, I addressed you 7 describes his recollection that Mr Heath received 7 on several issues. The Liberal Party's knowledge of 8 a letter from the Paedophile Information Exchange 8 allegations against Cyril Smith and its response to 9 inviting Mr Heath to attend a PIE meeting. Heath said, 9 them; safeguarding in political parties generally; the 10 "We don't want anything to do with them". He doesn't 10 question of whether state agencies may have covered up 11 recall any meeting with PIE ever appearing in Mr Heath's 11 abuse by Smith or others; and the DPP's handling of 12 diary during his time as his private secretary. That is 12 the Smith file in 1970. I intend to address you now on 13 INQ004216. 13 those same issues in the light of the evidence we have 14 Next is the witness statement of Commander 14 heard and then finish with some general observations 15 Neil Jerome, dated 8 February, about the searches that 15 about these hearings and the lessons from them. 16 were undertaken on records held by the 16 Starting with the Liberal Party's knowledge of 17 Metropolitan Police Service Special Branch, which is 17 allegations against Smith and its response, we heard 18 OHY007085. 18 from Baroness Brinton. The thrust of her evidence about 19 Finally, the second witness statement of 19 the early 1970s was essentially twofold. Firstly, that 20 Ian Lucas MP, dated 25 March 2019. Mr Lucas denies 20 the Liberal Party in the early 1970s was highly 21 having a direct conversation with Jane Lee or being 21 decentralised and that the national party organisation 22 involved in any coverup by political parties in Chester. 22 and HQ had little or no involvement in the selection of 23 He says he has no knowledge of any pact, as described in 23 parliamentary candidates. Secondly, that the lack of 24 the evidence of Grahame Nicholls. That is LAB000070. 24 salience of the allegations against Smith in the 1970 25 Chair, that is the evidence that we invite you to 25 General Election and the 1972 by-election indicates that Page 3 Page 4 1 (Pages 1 to 4) Epiq Europe Ltd www.epiqglobal.com Lower Ground, 20 Furnival Street (+44)207 4041400 [email protected] London EC4A 1JS IICSA Inquiry-Westminster 29 March 2019 1 these allegations were not really on anyone's radar. 1 as she put it, at that point he was almost entirely 2 The aim of her evidence was clearly to minimise the 2 focused on the House of Commons rather than on the 3 involvement of the national Liberal Party in 3 workings of the party. 4 Cyril Smith's early parliamentary career and to suggest 4 We say this is not only pure supposition on her 5 that the allegations against him were not well known, 5 part, but that the historical record indicates the 6 either in the national Liberal Party or more widely. 6 opposite. The leading biography of Jeremy Thorpe 7 We say that Baroness Brinton's evidence on these 7 published in 2014 identifies that from the early 1960s 8 points needs to be treated with a degree of caution and 8 onwards before he became leader in 1967, Jeremy Thorpe 9 in some respects is simply wrong. Baroness Brinton 9 was heavily involved along with Ted Wheeler in the 10 herself joined the Liberal Party in 1973, but, as she 10 Liberal Party's winnable seats strategy, the strategy 11 confirmed, her real involvement in the party only came 11 whereby resources would be heavily targeted on winnable 12 much later. 12 parliamentary seats. 13 In preparing her statement, Baroness Brinton sought 13 In particular, Thorpe's biographer notes that 14 assistance from two colleagues: Sir Nick Harvey and 14 a separate bank account was opened to finance the 15 Lord Newby. Nick Harvey was born in 1961 and did not 15 winnable seats strategy and that, from the early 1960s 16 become involved in Liberal politics until the 1980s. 16 onwards, this bank account was under the personal 17 Lord Newby came into the Liberal Democrats via the 17 control of Jeremy Thorpe himself as opposed to the 18 Social Democratic Party and had no involvement in the 18 Liberal Party organisation. 19 old Liberal Party. So none of them have direct 19 This bank account, which is described by his 20 knowledge or experience of events in 1970 and 1972. 20 biographer as having been maintained on a semi-secret 21 Baroness Brinton is no doubt right to say that the 21 basis to avoid other political parties learning of 22 Liberal Party at this time was highly decentralised. 22 the strategy, remained under Thorpe's personal control 23 However, in her oral evidence Baroness Brinton went 23 when he became leader, and the biographer notes that it 24 further and asserted that Jeremy Thorpe, the then party 24 was still under his personal control in the late 1970s. 25 leader, had no involvement in Smith's selection because, 25 We know this because, when the police started Page 5 Page 6 1 investigating the Scott affair in the late 1970s, they 1 influence over local candidate selection than 2 examined the bank account to check whether funds from it 2 Baroness Brinton acknowledges in her evidence. 3 might have been misused in connection with Scott, but 3 Finally, we also know from Cyril Smith's own 4 they discovered that they hadn't been. 4 autobiography that Jeremy Thorpe was instrumental in 5 Given that Thorpe retained personal control of 5 persuading him to stand at the Rochdale by-election in 6 the financing of the winnable seats strategy, it seems 6 1972. He says this in terms and we will file the 7 very likely that he would have paid close attention to 7 relevant excerpt with the inquiry. 8 the selection of candidates in the seats which formed 8 Baroness Brinton suggested that if the allegations 9 part of the strategy, of which Rochdale was one. 9 against Smith had been widely known about in 1970 and 10 In any case, both Michael Steed and 10 1972, they would have been used against him by his 11 Michael Meadowcroft recall significant rumours that 11 political opponents.