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| Lord McAlpine says abuse claims false and defamatory | Lord McAlpine says abuse claims false and defamatory |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Allegations linking him to alleged historical child abuse are "wholly false and seriously defamatory", Conservative peer Lord McAlpine says. | |
| The party's former treasurer released a statement after a man claimed he had been abused at a care home in Wrexham. | |
| Lord McAlpine, 70, said he had visited Wrexham only once and that he had been in the company of an agent from Conservative Central Office. | |
| He said he had never been to the children's home linked to the claims. | He said he had never been to the children's home linked to the claims. |
| Lord McAlpine's denial comes after Steve Messham claimed on the BBC's Newsnight that he had been abused by a senior politician of the Thatcher era, who was not named. | Lord McAlpine's denial comes after Steve Messham claimed on the BBC's Newsnight that he had been abused by a senior politician of the Thatcher era, who was not named. |
| In his statement, Lord McAlpine said: "I have never been to the children's home in Wrexham, nor have I ever visited any children's home, reform school or any other institution of a similar nature. | In his statement, Lord McAlpine said: "I have never been to the children's home in Wrexham, nor have I ever visited any children's home, reform school or any other institution of a similar nature. |
| "I have never stayed in a hotel in or near Wrexham, I did not own a Rolls-Royce, have never had a 'Gold card' or 'Harrods card' and never wear aftershave, all of which have been alleged. | "I have never stayed in a hotel in or near Wrexham, I did not own a Rolls-Royce, have never had a 'Gold card' or 'Harrods card' and never wear aftershave, all of which have been alleged. |
| "I did not sexually abuse Mr Messham or any other residents of the children's home in Wrexham." | "I did not sexually abuse Mr Messham or any other residents of the children's home in Wrexham." |
| 'Mistaken identity' | |
| Lord McAlpine, a life peer who took the title of Baron McAlpine of West Green in Hampshire, was an adviser to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and founded the McAlpine construction firm. He now lives in Italy. | |
| He said he had decided to "publicly tackle these slurs and set the record straight". | He said he had decided to "publicly tackle these slurs and set the record straight". |
| He said that in doing so he had not given up his right to sue those who had defamed him and he would take all steps considered necessary to protect his interests. | |
| Some newspapers on Friday reported that the peer has been a victim of mistaken identity. | Some newspapers on Friday reported that the peer has been a victim of mistaken identity. |
| In his statement, Lord McAlpine said he was not accusing Mr Messham of acting maliciously but he insisted he was "mistaken and that he has identified the wrong person". | |
| "I have every sympathy for Mr Messham and for the many other young people who were sexually abused when they were residents of the children's home in Wrexham," said Lord McAlpine. | |
| "Any abuse of children is abhorrent but the sexual abuse to which these vulnerable children were subjected in the 1970s and 1980s is particularly abhorrent. They had every right to expect to be protected and cared for by those who were responsible for them and it is abundantly clear that they were horribly violated. | |
| "I have absolutely no sympathy for the adults who committed these crimes. Those who have been convicted were deservedly punished and those who have not yet been brought to justice should be as soon as possible." | |
| He said that on his one visit to Wrexham he had gone to the local Constituency Conservative Association in his then-capacity as deputy chairman of the party. He said he was accompanied on this trip by Stuart Newman, a Central Office agent. | |
| Mr Newman is now dead, but Lord McAlpine's solicitors are trying to contact a senior secretary from Conservative Central Office at the time "to see if she can remember the precise date I visited that association". | |
| Lord McAlpine said he would be "entirely willing" to meet the Chief Constable of North Wales Mark Polin and National Crime Agency director general Keith Bristow in London as soon as possible "so that they can eliminate me from their inquiries and so that any unwarranted suspicion can be removed from me". | |
| 'Witch-hunt' | 'Witch-hunt' |
| On Thursday, David Cameron said he feared a "witch-hunt" by those commenting online about child abuse allegations. | |
| The prime minister was commenting on ITV1's This Morning programme after being unexpectedly handed a list of names of people whom the show's presenter said were being mentioned online as paedophiles. | The prime minister was commenting on ITV1's This Morning programme after being unexpectedly handed a list of names of people whom the show's presenter said were being mentioned online as paedophiles. |
| Presenter Phillip Schofield, who said he had based the list on internet speculation, has been criticised for his actions during the live interview which had been addressing historical claims of a paedophile ring linked to No 10. | Presenter Phillip Schofield, who said he had based the list on internet speculation, has been criticised for his actions during the live interview which had been addressing historical claims of a paedophile ring linked to No 10. |
| Mr Cameron, who did not look at the list, said he was "worried" that speculation about unproven allegations could lead to a "witch-hunt particularly against people who are gay" and advised anyone with evidence of abuse to go to the police. Number 10 later described the move as a "silly stunt". | |
| London Mayor Boris Johnson branded it a "rum piece of journalism" and Labour's Chuka Umunna said it had been "foolish and irresponsible". | London Mayor Boris Johnson branded it a "rum piece of journalism" and Labour's Chuka Umunna said it had been "foolish and irresponsible". |
| Mr Schofield later insisted he had not been accusing anyone of anything and "it is essential that it is understood that I would never be part of any kind of witch-hunt". | |
| TV regulator Ofcom said it had received complaints about the programme. | |
| The north Wales abuse scandal re-emerged last week after Mr Messham called for a new investigation claiming a report by Sir Ronald Waterhouse in 2000 had not uncovered the full scale of the abuse. | The north Wales abuse scandal re-emerged last week after Mr Messham called for a new investigation claiming a report by Sir Ronald Waterhouse in 2000 had not uncovered the full scale of the abuse. |
| On Tuesday, Home Secretary Theresa May announced a new police inquiry is to investigate fresh allegations into the way police handled child abuse accusations in care homes during the 1970s and 80s. | On Tuesday, Home Secretary Theresa May announced a new police inquiry is to investigate fresh allegations into the way police handled child abuse accusations in care homes during the 1970s and 80s. |
| There will also be a judicial inquiry into the failings of previous judicial inquiries. | There will also be a judicial inquiry into the failings of previous judicial inquiries. |
| Meanwhile, Flintshire Council chief executive Colin Everett has said he wants to publish a shelved 1996 report into the abuse claims. | Meanwhile, Flintshire Council chief executive Colin Everett has said he wants to publish a shelved 1996 report into the abuse claims. |
| The Jillings report was never made public because of legal concerns. | The Jillings report was never made public because of legal concerns. |