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talkpoliticsThere's been an awful lot of coverage (and rightly so) about Jimmy Savile's extraordinary catalogue of sexual abuse during the 70's and 80's. Thus far the focus has been on The NHS and the BBC, because these are the institutions wherein he plied his horrific evil: but no-one seems to be asking the questions about how he was protected from any of his criminal behaviour being brought to the courts.
Partly this is to do with the present administration's agenda: it is fine if the BBC or the NHS gets tarred with Savile's abuse - they are, after all, quasi-socialist institutions run and paid for out of the public purse, and anything which damages them in the eyes of the public is a good thing.
But I think a little more digging needs to be done.
Savile had unprecedented access to Margaret Thatcher. For eleven years he was a New Year's guest at Thatcher's official country residence, Chequers.
Edwina Curry, Conservative Minister for Health in 1988, rubber stamped his appointment to the board of Broadmoor psychiatric hospital.
He was proposed for membership of the Athenaeum club in Pall Mall by Cardinal Basil Hume, former Abbot and Headmaster of Ampleforth, which had it's own sexual abuse scandal which, co-incidently, Cardinal Hume hushed up. Despite the fact that many Athenaeum members had access to intelligence reports on Savile's behaviour (as must the then PM Margaret Thatcher have had too) rather than embarrass Basil Hume (who would have had to resign his membership of the Athenaeum if Savile had not been elected a member after Hume had proposed him) Savile was admitted to one of the most prestigious clubs in London.
His connections with the Conservative party, and prominent Tories, and other members of the establishment are pretty-well documented. Maggie, Ken Clarke, Edwina, Basil...
Now...a chap that connected, with the Prime Minister as a friend, the Health Minister appointing him to the board of various hospitals, and the Senior Catholic Clergyman of England and Wales proposing him for membership of one of the handful of most exclusive London clubs...a chap like that carries a lot of clout. It seems now that he may even have gotten away with murder.
Close friendship with the Prime Minister often seems to give some folk an impression that they have a carte blanche when it comes to their behaviour. Not of course that we can say the same thing about David Cameron and Andy Coulson...though it must be said that some obviously deluded and prejudiced folk think Rebekah Brooks got off lightly.
But I suppose it's true that it's all the NHS and BBC's fault that Savile did what he did, and to so many. Close friendship with Maggie had nothing to do with it whatsoever...even though as First Lord of the Treasury, and Head of the Security and Intelligence Services, she had access to all the reports and rumours of Savile's behaviour.
Partly this is to do with the present administration's agenda: it is fine if the BBC or the NHS gets tarred with Savile's abuse - they are, after all, quasi-socialist institutions run and paid for out of the public purse, and anything which damages them in the eyes of the public is a good thing.
But I think a little more digging needs to be done.
Savile had unprecedented access to Margaret Thatcher. For eleven years he was a New Year's guest at Thatcher's official country residence, Chequers.
Edwina Curry, Conservative Minister for Health in 1988, rubber stamped his appointment to the board of Broadmoor psychiatric hospital.
He was proposed for membership of the Athenaeum club in Pall Mall by Cardinal Basil Hume, former Abbot and Headmaster of Ampleforth, which had it's own sexual abuse scandal which, co-incidently, Cardinal Hume hushed up. Despite the fact that many Athenaeum members had access to intelligence reports on Savile's behaviour (as must the then PM Margaret Thatcher have had too) rather than embarrass Basil Hume (who would have had to resign his membership of the Athenaeum if Savile had not been elected a member after Hume had proposed him) Savile was admitted to one of the most prestigious clubs in London.
His connections with the Conservative party, and prominent Tories, and other members of the establishment are pretty-well documented. Maggie, Ken Clarke, Edwina, Basil...
Now...a chap that connected, with the Prime Minister as a friend, the Health Minister appointing him to the board of various hospitals, and the Senior Catholic Clergyman of England and Wales proposing him for membership of one of the handful of most exclusive London clubs...a chap like that carries a lot of clout. It seems now that he may even have gotten away with murder.
Close friendship with the Prime Minister often seems to give some folk an impression that they have a carte blanche when it comes to their behaviour. Not of course that we can say the same thing about David Cameron and Andy Coulson...though it must be said that some obviously deluded and prejudiced folk think Rebekah Brooks got off lightly.
But I suppose it's true that it's all the NHS and BBC's fault that Savile did what he did, and to so many. Close friendship with Maggie had nothing to do with it whatsoever...even though as First Lord of the Treasury, and Head of the Security and Intelligence Services, she had access to all the reports and rumours of Savile's behaviour.
(no subject)
Date: 28/6/14 18:04 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 29/6/14 12:56 (UTC)If reality has a liberal bias, then commercial media have some rather different editorial positions.