Simon Danczuk seeks amnesty for officers threatened with Official Secrets Act in child abuse investigation

Simon Danczuk MP

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk has made a plea for an amnesty to help past and present officials with any knowledge of sexual abuse.

On Thursday (27 November) in a Commons debate on historical child abuse, Mr Danczuk said: “A large number of police officers, both retired and serving, have information to give. We simply need to get the full picture and to get those people to speak at an inquiry.

“The Home Secretary must ensure there is a full amnesty for any officer so that they are not worried about the Official Secrets Act or their pensions.”

Mr Danczuk's intervention comes after it was revealed that former policemen who have investigated a Westminster paedophile ring operating in the 1970s and 80s have been warned they could be arrested for breaching the ­Official Secrets Act if they speak out now.

The Daily Star has revealed that ex-Special Branch detective Tony Robinson says he received warnings about repeating facts relating to paedophile Liberal MP Cyril Smith and over his monitoring of other politicians.