Government hides the identity of person who nominated paedo Clement Freud for knighthood
Official 'censoring' has fuelled suspicion that concerns had already been raised about his behaviour while a Liberal MP
THE person who nominated paedo Sir Clement Freud for a knighthood is being kept secret.
Details of the proposer are blacked out on a paper sent to the Cabinet Office honours committee in 1987.
The censoring of the document has fuelled suspicion that concerns had already been raised about Freud’s behaviour while he was a Liberal MP.
Labour MP Simon Danczuk said: “Keeping the identity of Freud’s knighthood recommender secret implies there is something to hide.”
Freud shared a Commons office with fellow Liberal and prolific child abuser Sir Cyril Smith, whose proposer for a knighthood in 1988 — his then party leader Lord Steel — was also at first kept secret.
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Lord Steel had previously been made aware of allegations that Smith had abused children.
Paedophile MP Smith died in 2010 and was exposed two years later by Rochdale MP Mr Danczuk.
Lord Steel then revealed he had previously confronted Smith, who denied wrongdoing and said police had closed their file on him.
The Information Commissioner ruled there was a “legitimate public interest” in Lord Steel’s identity as the proposer of his knighthood being disclosed.
The Sun on Sunday made a Freedom of Information request to the Cabinet Office asking for Freud’s nomination document after he was unmasked last month as a serial abuser who groomed and abused young girls.
Dad-of-five Freud, who died aged 84 in 2009, was recommended for a knighthood after he lost his Commons seat.
But his proposer requested anonymity and a black blob now marks the “By whom recommended” section.
The Sun on Sunday has appealed to the Cabinet Office for the name to be released and will take our case to the Information Commissioner if that request is refused.