An interesting snippet about Sir Cyril Smith, whose death was announced today.
In March 1974 Cyril Smith blocked Jeremy Thorpe's plans to join a coalition with Ted Heath - interesting in itself given the events of May 2010.
And, as my friend Tom Fairbrother points out, it means that by LOSING the Rochdale by-election (to Smith) in 1972, Labour inadvertently propelled itself back to power two years later!
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I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
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Comment number 1.
At 3rd Sep 2010, Ian wrote:This man's reputation was very dubious.
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Comment number 2.
At 5th Sep 2010, stevie wrote:not a nice man at all...anti-gay...anti-working class...elitist and all for the death penalty...mind you he would happy in the present 'sell out' all singing and dancing LibDem lot....
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Comment number 3.
At 5th Sep 2010, DebtJuggler wrote:Pity the pallbearers!
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Comment number 4.
At 8th Sep 2010, Lorentz wrote:A respected MP; it is unfortunate that there are few that match up to his likes in the current Parliament.
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