Geoffrey Dickens: Difference between revisions

{{short description|British politician (1931–1995)}}

| term_end2 = 913 JuneMay 1983

| death_date = {{death date and age|1995|05|17|1931|08|26|df=yes}}

| death_place = [[Hertfordshire]], England

'''Geoffrey Kenneth Dickens''' (26 August 1931 – 17 May 1995) was a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[politician]]. He was MP for [[Huddersfield West (UK Parliament constituency)|Huddersfield West]] from 1979 until the seat was abolished in 1983. He was then elected for [[Littleborough and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency)|Littleborough and Saddleworth]] and held the seat until his death in 1995.

Dickens is known for his anti-paedophile work, including the naming of diplomat [[Peter Hayman (diplomat)|Sir Peter Hayman]], as a paedophile in the House of Commons.

Dickens was born in London and [[foster care|fostered]] until he was eight years old. He never had contact with his mother afterwards.<ref name="Ind">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituaries--geoffrey-dickens-1619966.html |title=OBITUARIES Geoffrey Dickens |work=The Independent|date=18 May 1995|accessdateaccess-date=22 February 2013}}</ref> He was educated at schools at East Lane in Wembley and at [[Acton Technical College]]. He sufferedcontracted [[polio]] when he was 13, for which he had to spend two years in hospital.

During his youth Dickens became a heavyweight boxer, sparring with [[Don Cockell]] and [[Henry Cooper]]. He had 60 bouts, of which he lostwon 2040.<ref name="Ind" /> He worked as an Aviation Design Draughtsman at BSP Industries in Borehamwood, Herts, whom he represented as a talented goalkeeper; he became a member of [[St Albans Rural District Council]] from 1967–741967 to 1974, and was its chairman in 1970–71. He also was a member of [[Hertfordshire County Council]] in 1970–1975.<ref name="Ind" />

A Conservative politician, Dickens foughtstood unsuccessfully for [[Middlesbrough (UK Parliament constituency)|Middlesbrough]] in [[February 1974 United Kingdom general election|February 1974]] (coming second out of two, behind Labour, on 33.7%)<ref>{{cite web |title=February 1974 General Election - Middlesbrough |url=https://api.parliament.uk/uk-general-elections/elections/19663 |website=[[Parliament.uk]] |access-date=17 August 2023}}</ref> and for [[Ealing North (UK Parliament constituency)|Ealing North]] in [[October 1974 United Kingdom general election|October 1974]] (finishing second of three, with 39.7%).<ref>{{cite web |title=October 1974 General Election - Ealing North |url=https://api.parliament.uk/uk-general-elections/elections/20100 |website=[[Parliament.uk]] |access-date=17 August 2023}}</ref> He won [[Huddersfield West (UK Parliament constituency)|Huddersfield West]] in [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979]] but this seat was abolished after boundary reviews. He was selected as the Conservative candidate for [[Littleborough and Saddleworth (UK Parliament constituency)|Littleborough and Saddleworth]], which he won in [[1983 United Kingdom general election|1983]].<ref name="Ind" /> Described as "[[Falstaffian]]" and "the original 'rent-a-quote' man",<ref name="Ind" /> over his time in parliament he campaigned for causes as diverse as the return of hanging and the banning of [[teddy bears]].<ref name="Ind" /> He indicated in a 1987 BBC ''Heart of the Matter'' documentary that consideration should be given to re-criminalising homosexuality to prevent the spread of [[HIV/AIDS]],<ref>{{citationcite journal |last1=Watney |first1=Simon |title=People's perceptions of the risk of Aids and the role of the mass media |journal=Health Education Journal needed|date=July1987 2014|volume=46 |issue=2 |page=65 |doi=10.1177/001789698704600209 |citeseerx=10.1.1.964.7179 |s2cid=144630674 |quote=Indeed, a leading MP is able to campaign for the total recriminalisation of homosexuality in all its forms, with new police powers to shut down all lesbian and gay bars and publications, and to make the cohabitation of gay couples a criminal offence. All of this is astoundingly proposed in the name of preventing the spread of Aids.}} Citation given for this statement is Dickens on ''Heart of The Matter'', BBC 1, March 1987.</ref> and opposed the [[Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement]] (LGCM) and [[LGBT clergy in Christianity|ordination of gay priests]].<ref name="Johnson2013">{{cite book|author=M. Malcolm D. Johnson|title=Diary Of A Gay Priest: The Tightrope Walker|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ocTgAAAAQBAJ&pg=PT115|date=30 August 2013|publisher=Christian Alternative|isbn=978-1-78099-999-9|page=115}}</ref> He once held a press conference announcing an affair without, apparently, warning his wife.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/07/geoffrey-dickens-mp-campaign-child-abuse-taken-seriously|title=Geoffrey Dickens: a Clown Whose Campaign is Finally Taken Seriously|first=Michael|last=White|work=The Guardian|date=7 July 2014|accessdateaccess-date=25 January 2015}}</ref> He served on the Commons Energy [[Select committee (United Kingdom)|Select Committee]].<ref name="Ind"/>

Between 1981 and 1985, Dickens campaigned against a suspected paedophile ring he claimed to have uncovered that was connected to trading [[child pornography]].<ref name="Ind2">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tory-mp-warned-of-powerful-paedophile-ring-30-years-ago-8507780.html |title=Tory MP warned of powerful paedophile ring 30 years ago|work=[[The Independent]]|date=22 February 2013|accessdateaccess-date=22 February 2013}}</ref> In 1981, Dickens named the former British High Commissioner to Canada, [[Peter Hayman (diplomat)|Sir Peter Hayman]], as a paedophile in the House of Commons, using [[parliamentary privilege]] so he could not be sued for slander. Dickens asked why he had not been jailed after the discovery on a bus of violent pornography.

In 1983, Dickens claimed there was a paedophile network involving "big, big names – people in positions of power, influence and responsibility" and threatened to name them in the Commons.<ref name=bbc-20140702/> The next year, he successfully campaigned for the banning of Hayman'sthe [[Paedophile Information Exchange]] organisation, of which Hayman was a closet member. Dickens had a thirty-minute meeting with the Home Secretary, [[Leon Brittan]], after giving him a dossier containing the child abuse allegations. Although Dickens said he was "encouraged" by the meeting, he later expressed concern that PIE had not (by then) been banned; though it was disbanded in 1984.<ref name="Ind2" />

On 29 November 1985, Dickens said in a speech to the Commons that paedophiles were "evil and dangerous" and that child pornography generated "vast sums". He further claimed that: "The noose around my neck grew tighter after I named a former high-flying British diplomat on the Floor of the House. Honourable Members will understand that where big money is involved and as important names came into my possession so the threats began. First, I received threatening telephone calls followed by two burglaries at my London home. Then, more seriously, my name appeared on a multi-killer's hit list".<ref name="Ind2" /> Dickens' son later said that about the time when the dossier was given to the Home Secretary, the MP's London flat and constituency home were both broken into but nothing was taken, presumably in a search for documents.<ref name=bbc-20140703>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28141531 |title=Geoffrey Dickens 'said paedophile dossier was explosive' |publisher=BBC |date=3 July 2014 |accessdateaccess-date=3 July 2014}}</ref><ref name=telegraph-20140702>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10942103/MP-burgled-after-handing-paedophile-dossier-to-Leon-Brittan.html |title=MP burgled after handing paedophile dossier to Leon Brittan |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |date=2 July 2014 |accessdateaccess-date=4 July 2014}}</ref>

The Labour MP [[Tom Watson (Labour politician)|Tom Watson]] asked the Home Office in February 2013 for Dickens' dossier in February 2013.<ref name="Ind2" /> A Home Office review inthat 2013year concluded that any information requiring investigation was referred to the police, but revealed that Mr Dickens' dossier was "not retained".<ref name=bbc-20140702>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28125537 |title=Home Office under fire over lost paedophile dossier |work=[[BBC News]] |date=2 July 2014 |accessdateaccess-date=2 July 2014}}</ref><ref name=guardian-20140702>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/02/lord-brittan-1980s-dossier-sex-abuse-claims |title=Ex-minister Lord Brittan under scrutiny over 1980s dossier of sex abuse claims |author=Rowena Mason |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=2 July 2014 |accessdate=3 July 2014}}</ref> After the issue had been raised again by Labour MP [[Simon Danczuk]] in July 2014, former [[Director of Public Prosecutions]], [[Ken Macdonald|Lord Macdonald]], said the circumstances in which the dossier had gone missing were alarming and recommended an inquiry into the fate of the dossier.<ref name=telegraphaccess-20140702B>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10942375/Launch-formal-investigation-into-the-lost-paedophile-dossier-says-former-DPP.html |title=Launch formal investigation into the lost paedophile dossier, says former DPP |author=Georgia Graham and James Kirkup |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |location=London |date=2 July 2014 |accessdate=3 July 2014}}</ref> Prime Minister [[David Cameron]] asked the [[Mark Sedwill|Home Office Permanent Secretary]] to investigate what had happened to the missing dossier. Danczuk responded that another internal inquiry was merely trying to limit damage, and that a public inquiry was necessary to retain public confidence.<ref name=guardian-20140704>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/04/david-cameron-orders-inquiry-westminster-child-abuse-claims-dossier |title=David Cameron asks top civil servant to look into Westminster child abuse claims |author=Rajeev Syal |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=4 July 2014 |accessdate=4 July 2014}}</ref> The missing dossier has been linked with ongoing investigations into the [[Elm Guest House child abuse scandal]].<ref name=telegraph060714>{{cite news |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/10950127/Westminster-paedophile-ring-allegations-timeline.html |title= Westminster paedophile ring allegations: timeline |last=Whitehead |first=Tom |location=London |work=[[The Sunday Telegraph]] |date=6 July 2014 |accessdate=6 July 2014}}</ref><ref name=guardian050714>{{cite news |url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jul/05/elm-guest-house-paedophile-network-allegations |title= Edwardian house at heart of a long-simmering sex scandal |last=Boffey |first=Daniel |location=London |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=5 July 2014 |accessdate=6 July 2014}}</ref>

==Personal life and death==

Dickens married Norma Boothby in 1956 and the couple had two children. He died after a battle withfrom [[liver cancer]] in Hertfordshire on 17 May 1995, agedat the age of 63.<ref name = Ind/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=COd0MXlZOGvBXWE3CanIDA&scan=1|title=Index entry|accessdate=29 February 2024|work=FreeBMD|publisher=ONS}}</ref> Controversially, his [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]] successor, [[Chris Davies (Liberal Democrat politician)|Chris Davies]], openly campaigned for election during DickenDickens's cancer battleillness.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.co.ukcom/books?id=frpIAAAAYAAJ|title=The Economist|date=16 March 1995|publisher=Charles Reynell|via=Google Books}}</ref>