Motion calls for Sir Cyril to be stripped of knighthood

Sir Cyril Smith

The Jarrow MP, Stephen Hepburn, has tabled a House of Commons motion calling for Rochdale’s former MP Sir Cyril Smith to be stripped of his knighthood.

The Chairman of the All Party Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Group has seen many people die in his constituency from Mesothelioma and was outraged at Sir Cyril’s unrepentant views on asbestos.

His 11 November Early Day Motion states:

“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 right 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 right hon. Member for Rochdale be stripped of his knighthood.”

Rochdale Online exclusively revealed documents which showed Sir Cyril's relationship with Turner and Newall earlier this year.

Rochdale’s Labour Parliamentary Candidate, Simon Danczuk commented: “This is now a national issue and what Sir Cyril has said is inexcusable. Despite all the deaths, he hasn’t learnt anything and his links with this cancerous product have made him infamous. He will always be remembered as someone who put profits before people.”

Rochdale's MP Paul Rowen condemned the Early Day Motion. 

He said: "This is simply the victimisation of a now elderly man by the Labour Party and I find their actions totally deplorable. To call for Sir Cyril's Knighthood to be removed is nothing short of preposterous. This is a man who has given a lifetime of service for Rochdale and still continues to do so. He put Rochdale on the map for many good reasons and still holds as much respect up and down our country as he did when he was representing us in Parliament. Labour should be concentrating on fighting the issues we have with asbestos today, not of 25 years ago.”

Commenting, Council Leader Alan Taylor said: "This is a pathetic attempt by a backbench, obscure Labour MP at chasing headlines. This is as insignificant as they come and I am ashamed at the way that Labour locally are delighting in this. Simon Danczuk, in particular has taken great delight in these accusations and I am getting quite frankly sick and tired of this.

"[Mr] Danczuk has achieved nothing for our town, he is an outsider who constantly talks our town and citizens down in order to get cheap headlines. Sir Cyril has done so much for us and this attempt by not even half a percent of the Parliamentary Labour Party should be condemned."

Mr Hepburn’s Early Day Motion follows an article by the associate editor of the Daily Mirror and the creation of a new Facebook group also calling for Sir Cyril to be stripped of his knighthood.