Simon Danczuk’s Cyril Smith Book - 3

JOHN WALKER’S WORK REVEALED

When John Walker travelled to Rochdale in early 2013 to meet Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk once more, and also meet his sidekick Matt Baker, he had not merely made suggestions for a book on Danczuk’s predecessor Cyril Smith, but had put in a significant amount of work firming up a synopsis, to help with approaching a prospective publisher, and an extensive narrative that ran to almost 12,000 words.

Indeed, the narrative had been through an extensive revision by January 2013, which is clearly marked on the copy which has arrived on Zelo Street. Twenty-two pages of closely typed and apparently well-researched text which Walker made available to Danczuk and Baker, and for which he received nothing more than a grudging acknowledgement when Smile For The Camera finally saw the light of day.

But the synopsis is where the most telling points are made, beginning with an observation by Walker that “I think there is a very real danger that the story has now been seen to run its course … The media have moved on; Smith has been vilified. End of story … this still leaves a huge number of questions unanswered and accessories after-the-fact in the clear, or hiding for cover. Having had a rather large push over the latest round of stories/disclosures, it would be a shame if the story were allowed to peter out without some greater sense of finality and closure”. Hence the tight timescale proposed.

It gets more interesting: “A co-authored book (Danczuk and Walker) could flush out answers from key bodies, that perhaps the average hack or book scribbler couldn't reach … The proposal is that John Walker would do the bulk of the research and writing, supported, as appropriate by Simon's staff”. And then the killer paragraph.

“We have already started to work on a series of very detailed questions to be put to up to a dozen public bodies.  these would either tease out more ‘exclusive revelations’ for the book, or be stone walling, in which case would add strength to the argument that there has been and continues to be a significant cover up of much of the child abuse scandal”. Note that this begins with the word “we”. All will be explained.

There is even a suggested list of six areas for the book to cover: “1. Latest state of play with current investigations in the Smith affair … 2. An ‘unauthorised’ potted biography of Smith … 3. Pen portrait of Rochdale as proud independent town … 4. History of child abuse allegations and facts  in Rochdale … 5. Alternative Rochdale; setting the scene on the climate of the 70’s … 6. A critique of the abuses of power by Smith/public officials/politicians”. This is followed by a suggested timetable to publication.

It’s all there. All there by the time Walker goes to Rochdale to meet Danczuk and Baker. And a list of potential contacts is included. Then, at the very end, the document is dated … and it is initialled. It is not just John Walker’s initials that appear there; it is marked “JW/SD”. It can only be concluded that Simon Danczuk either participated in its creation, that he approved it, or both. Yet that was the end of John Walker’s involvement.

Except for one final exchange of correspondence. That’s coming up very soon.