Smile For The Camera: The Double Life of Cyril Smith - Hardcover

Simon Danczuk; Matthew Baker

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1849546444 ISBN 13: 9781849546447

Publisher: Biteback Publishing, 2014

Synopsis

Shortlisted for Political Book of the Year at The Paddy Power Political Book Awards 2015 No politician pandered to the media's appetite for personality more than Liberal MP Cyril Smith. Instantly recognisable for his colossal build, Smith was a larger-than-life character in a world of dull grey men. He spoke for the everyman, and his forays into show business blurred the lines between politician and celebrity. Yet 'Big Cyril' was anything but the roly-poly gentle giant of popular imagination. In November 2012, Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk outed Smith in Parliament as a serial child abuser. Now, in an astonishing tale of a spectacular misuse of power, he describes how Smith used his profile to groom and sexually abuse young boys, frequently in institutions he had helped to establish. His victims, often troubled boys from broken homes, had no voice against their attacker and, though rumours abounded, Smith's appalling crimes went unnoticed by the public and unpunished by the authorities. A story deeply rooted in the political culture of the 1970s and '80s, Smile for the Camera brings to life Cyril's domineering personality and his sickening predilections. It reveals the extraordinary double life of a man who hoodwinked the public and evaded justice for decades.

About this title

About the Author

Simon Danczuk is the Labour MP for Rochdale. Beginning his working life in a factory, aged sixteen, he later studied at night school before going to Lancaster University as a mature student to study sociology and politics. He went on to co-found a social research company based in Manchester, before entering Parliament in 2010. Matt Baker has worked in journalism, academia and politics. He has written and campaigned extensively on children's rights and, along with Simon, helped investigate Cyril Smith's past and record the victims' accounts of abuse. This is his first book.

Review

"Mr Danczuk's courageous book has opened up a stinking can of worms and it seems clear that only a proper judicial investigation can uncover the whole unsavoury truth." Daily Mail "This is an extremely good book, and a brave one, too." Rod Liddle, Sunday Times "[A] brave, disturbing, in many ways brilliant book." Daniel Finkelstein, The Times "Must Reads, Our Choice of the Best Recent books: 'a brave study of the lies and cover-ups'" Sunday Times Magazine "A bold and genuine attempt to fill in some of the gaps in the myth of Smith - The Danczuk-Baker book merits close attention." Rochdale Online "This important book should be read by all those charged with delivering criminal justice, by all those interested in politics, but most importantly by those in every community motivated by a healthy and unstinting scepticism of authority." Keir Starmer, Progress "In this compelling book, based on extensive research and harrowing interviews with victims, Danczuk revealed how the authorities systematically covered up sickening sexual exploitation of boys by Sir Cyril over decades ... That book showed that Danczuk has the forensic skills and dogged determination to expose the truth about abusers within the establishment." Daily Express "Sunday Times Political Book of the Year" Sunday Times

About this edition

• Publisher: Biteback Publishing
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1849546444
• ISBN 13: 9781849546447
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 320