Cyril Smith Archive
As the row ratchets up over claims of an establishment cover-up of child abuse involving the late Sir Cyril Smith, here are the original stories that ran in Private Eye 454 and in the Rochdale Alternative Press (RAP), in 1979.

From Eye 454, 11th May 1979 (click article to enlarge):

cyril smith

The original shocking RAP story (click each image to enlarge):

cyril smith cyril smith cyril smith

And their follow up (click to enlarge):

cyril smith
ONLY IN THE MAGAZINE
Private Eye Issue 1657
In This Issue
'We want women to feel safer on the streets' says extremely scary mob… New Washington Ironyometer ironically not up to irony job... Conspiracy update: Cracker barrel special… Lives of the saints: St Lucy of Connolly… Reform Taliban controversy… Daily Mail hails 'politician who gets it'… Nurseryland to crack down on antisocial music… 'How accurate is the Daily Telegraph?' asks King and Conqueror… My summer holiday, as told to Craig Brown

Virgin's miracle
Branson's rail record has been rewritten

Carnal relations
Guess who's chasing clicks with tales of incest…

Don Peron?
Trump's love of state interference

Read these stories and much more - only in the magazine. Subscribe here to get delivery direct to your home and never miss an issue!
ONLY £2.99
SUBSCRIBE HERE
NEXT ISSUE ON SALE
18th September 2025
WHY SUBSCRIBE?
Private Eye Issue 1656
MORE TOP STORIES ONLINE
Over and Don
Over and Don
Trump's UK cheerleaders desert him
Street Of Shame, Issue 1649
Unfit for a king
Unfit for a king
Elvis experience causes heartbreak
In The Back, Issue 1655
Keir kicker
Keir kicker
Starmer's unlikely new hire
Street Of Shame, Issue 1655
MORE FROM PRIVATE EYE