Harman 'Regrets' PIE scandal, but says 'I have nothing to apologize for'

Harriet Harman has said she "regrets" a civil liberties group she once worked for had links to pro-paedophile campaigners in the 1970s but insisted she had "nothing to apologise for".

The National Council for Civil Liberties granted "affiliate" status to the Paedophile Information Exchange.

The Daily Mail has urged the deputy Labour leader to explain this link.

But Ms Harman has accused the newspaper of "smear and innuendo" and said it "should be apologising".

From 1978 to 1982 Ms Harman was legal officer at the National Council for Civil Liberties, which was the predecessor to campaign group Liberty.

The Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) - a group that spoke positively about adults attracted to children - was granted affiliate status with the National Council for Civil Liberties in 1975.

'Vile organisation'

In a TV interview, Ms Harman said: "I'm not going to apologise because I've got nothing to apologise for.

"I very much regret that this vile organisation, PIE, ever existed and that it ever had anything to do with NCCL, but it did not affect my work at NCCL."

She added: "They had been pushed to the margins before I actually went to NCCL and to allege that I was involved in collusion with paedophilia or apologising for paedophilia is quite wrong and is a smear.

"It is actually not me that should be apologising for something that I haven't done. It is the Daily Mail that should be apologising for their smear and innuendo."

Appearing on BBC Two's Newsnight on Monday, she repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether it had been a mistake to allow the Paedophile Information Exchange to be affiliated to the civil liberties group.

sphinx wrote:As for not affecting her work - NCCL who she worked for was campaigning for lowering of the age of consent just before she joined - would you join an organization like that?

Tess. wrote:Already a couple of threads about it Ben, but people keep posting in the wrong section so I can only find one:


https://newsfix.niceboard.com/t2769-daily-mail-smear-campaign

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Tess. wrote:Already a couple of threads about it Ben, but people keep posting in the wrong section so I can only find one:


https://newsfix.niceboard.com/t2769-daily-mail-smear-campaign

Yeah, the latest I saw said the BBC is ignoring it and that nobody's commented on it who was involved. This seems to undercut both ideas.

Fred Bloggs wrote:

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Yeah, the latest I saw said the BBC is ignoring it and that nobody's commented on it who was involved. This seems to undercut both ideas.

This will run and run. Harman is toast or if she survives and I really hope she does Labour will have tremendous problems. It is the epitomy of the Liberal left coming unstuck supporting ludicrous ideas and frankly dangerous people in the name of free speech.

This woman has been a self proclaimed PC zealot all her career. Bring it on Harriet bring it on yourself.