Probe: Police have today revealed an independent investigation will now consider whether former Lib Dem Rochdale MP Cyril Smith's child abuse was covered-up
Police have today revealed they are chasing up to 11 new suspects linked to sex abuse by former Liberal MP Cyril Smith.
Greater Manchester Police has said it will also review evidence of claims that Smith was subject to a top-level cover-up spanning 35 years, including by MI5 agents.
It came as the Liberal Democrats came under further pressure over their former MP after even his family called for an independent inquiry into allegations he had abused boys.
Police are already investigating allegations of historic sex abuse by Smith in Rochdale, where he was an MP for 20 years.
But it has today announced that it is looking into claims that abuse may have been swept under the carpet by officials and politicians in Rochdale Council between 1961 and 1995.
The review will be carried out by a QC, with any evidence of criminality then passed to the police, who say they are 'trying to trace' others who may have abused children or helped hide it.
Detectives will review a range of sources, including allegations in the book by current Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, serialised in the Mail, which claimed police, politicians and even MI5 had been involved in a cover-up.
Mr Danczuk said: 'The scandal is that nothing has been done for so many years, and what we now need is some action by the local authority and by the police to ensure that it’s bought to a conclusion.'
Officers are already investigating claims of abuse at Knowl View residential school, which closed in 1992, but are now to review whether any evidence points to a cover-up by the council.
Rochdale Council is due to hear the findings of an independent review into the running of Knowl View next month.
Officers are also looking into claims he abused boys at the privately run Cambridge House children’s care home, which closed in 1965.
GMP chief constable Sir Peter Fahy: 'As a result of the publicity and the discussion around the book recently published about child abuse in Rochdale, we are carrying out a review into those allegations and into other matters of public debate around that book to see whether that justifies a criminal investigation into allegations of (a) cover-up.
'There are a significant number of people we are trying to trace, obviously made more difficult by the passage of time.
'Given the degree of public speculation around this particular book and the allegations made in it, we think it would clearly be strange if we did not look at that and carry out a review as to whether that justified a wider criminal investigation.'
Fury: Norman Smith (left), the brother of Cyril Smith (right), has slammed the abuse claims.
Allegations about Sir Cyril’s conduct were first published in 1979.
In a statement, his family said they did not believe the claims against him – but would be happy to co-operate with a proper inquiry.
The intervention is uncomfortable for Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who has rejected calls for such a probe.
Last week he urged the police to investigate whether there had been an Establishment cover-up of Smith's activities.
But he rejected calls for a full inquiry, headed by an independent figure, or for the Lib Dems themselves to hold their own probe, saying only the police could do the job properly.
Yesterday Tim Farron, the party's president, claimed that if the Lib Dems held their own probe it would 'interfere' with the police inquiry.
But pressure intensified as a former president of the Liberal Party claimed there was a culture of 'cowardice' that protected Smith from allegations of abuse in the same way as the BBC protected Jimmy Savile.
Des Wilson said rumours of Smith's sex attacks on boys had reached senior figures, but then leader David Steel took no action because the leadership had their 'heads in the sand'. And he accused Mr Clegg of being 'more than naïve' for lauding the former Rochdale MP on his death.
Smith is the subject of two police inquiries into child abuse. The Crown Prosecution Service say they believe Smith, who died in 2010, did carry out attacks.
The Smith family released a statement on Saturday, saying they would welcome an inquiry. 'We find many of the claims bizarre and difficult to believe, an independent inquiry would determine their truth or otherwise,' it said.
'The person they are describing is not the person known to family, friends, colleagues and constituents.'
Smith's brother Norman, a former mayor of Rochdale, said: 'I don't believe any of these outrageous claims. They're so shocking I don't know how they could have been hidden at the time.
'I think these people were damaged and they are just trying to ruin his reputation now when he can't defend himself. I think it is despicable.' Mr Farron has admitted the Lib Dems face 'serious questions' over who knew about allegations against Smith.
But he rejected calls for both an inquiry and for the party to hold an internal probe, saying the matter should be left to the police.
'It's very, very important that the police are allowed to proceed with full investigations without any kind of hampering or speculation on a political level,' he told Sky News.
Mr Wilson was president of the Liberals from 1986 to 1987, and led the Lib Dems' election campaign in 1992. In an article for a Sunday newspaper he praised a book by current Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk for exposing Smith as 'a serial sexual abuser of small boys'.
Mr Wilson said Lord Steel, who was Liberal leader between 1976 and 1988. did not take action because he 'hated confrontation'.
He said Liberal MPs at the time included a drunk, one who would hang around clubs with attractive boys, and a number who were having affairs with their secretaries. All this meant there was no appetite to challenge Smith.
