Former Rochdale council leader denies lying to child abuse inquiry

(NWN: Former MILITANT TENDENCY trotskyist Richard 'Fat' Farnell couldn't even lie straight in bed. See more info on 'Fat' at bottom of article).

Richard Farnell said he was 'shocked' at the inquiry's findings, but added: “I told the truth”

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Former Rochdale council leader Richard Farnell 

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Former Rochdale council leader Richard Farnell has denied lying to the national inquiry on child abuse, declaring himself ‘shocked’ at its findings.
Coun Farnell has said he was ‘deeply sorry’ for ‘grave mistakes’ and ‘unacceptable failings’ of the council while he was in charge the first time during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The first report from the Independent Inquiry on Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) says Coun Farnell lied under oath when he claimed to have known nothing about the Knowl View abuse scandal 25 years ago.
But he continued to insist he was unaware of the abuse at the time, saying in a statement: “I told the truth.”
“Failures by Rochdale council , the police and other agencies in protecting children from abuse should never have happened,” he said.
“The inquiry covered events going back 60 years.
“For the period in which I was leader of Rochdale council from 1986 to 1992, I am deeply sorry and I apologise to all those who suffered as a result of the grave mistakes made and the unacceptable failings of the Council in respect of the children being cared for at Knowl View.
“However, I am shocked at the findings of the Inquiry. I told the truth.”
In his statement today, Coun Farnell refuted the claims of the inquiry’s report.

Knowl View school in Rochdale, and former Rochdale council leader Richard Farnell

“There is clear evidence that I was NOT informed about Knowl View during my time as leader”, he said.
“The three most senior officers of the council responsible for informing and advising the leader of the council – the chief executive, the director of education and the director of social services - ALL said in evidence they did not tell me about Knowl View.

Rochdale child abuse inquiry

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  Former council leader LIED under oath

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  Richard Farnell suspended by Labour

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  Lawyer calls for perjury charges

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  Richard Farnell quits as council leader

“The inquiry has examined 140,000 pages of documents relating to Knowl View. There is not one single letter, memo, report, council minute or briefing note addressed to me informing me about the events at Knowl View.
“A two-year police investigation found no evidence whatsoever that I was involved in a cover-up of events at Knowl View. I now need time to consider the report in full before commenting further.”
Meanwhile, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has said that it's now "essential" that those responsible are held to account:
In a statement, he said: “This is a damning report, but one that at last opens up the possibility of truth and justice for those children who have suffered - and accountability for those who were in a position of responsibility but failed to act.
“Now, it is essential that those who have been found responsible for failing in their public duties are held properly and fully to account.

Andy Burnham

“There is also a need to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect children today. Although the events covered by this report are historical, there have been more recent cases in Rochdale where children have been abused and it is claimed institutions did not do all they could to safeguard them.
“This is why, last year, I set up an independent review of current practice to see if Greater Manchester has the right culture and the best possible systems in place to put children first. This review is not complete, but it is clear there has been significant progress made in strengthening the protection of young people in Greater Manchester. The review will now look at the IICSA report and assess what implications it has.
“The people of Rochdale and Greater Manchester have the right to know if children today are being protected, and not let down as they have been in the past. I will not rest until we can be certain we have the right culture in place where children’s safety comes first.”
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/former-rochdale-council-leader-denies-14523812

NWN: Fat Farnell has been a slimy marxist toad in the Rochdale area for decades. He grew up and joined the Labour party Young Socialists in the 1970's and thence to join the Trotskyist  group Miltant Tendency . Fat was to be seen trying to 'flog' their newspaper 'MILITANT' in Rochdale town centre on Yorkshire street, often standing opposite when the National Front used to sell their papers including NATIONAL FRONT NEWS & SPEARHEAD magazine.


Fat's early political tutelage came from another MILITANT activist, Barry Haslam. Haslam later had to drop out of politics due to him having to answer questions about a lot of missing money at Rochdale FC . Haslam was a former football hooligan for Rochdale FC in the 1960's.

Fat became leader of Rochdale Council leader and in 1992 at the General Election of that year was involved in the organising of a riot against BNP members in Rochdale town centre and especially at a pub on Milnrow Road which  was laid siege to by 200 - 300 communists throwing bricks. This communist mob used the name ANTI NAZI LEAGUE (ANAL) back then. The communist mob also laid siege to the Castle Inn on Manchester road, another pub the Mayfield on Albert Royds street, and the Brunswick pub on Baillie street which was wrecked entirely by these communist thugs.

Farnell was seen in discussions with SEARCHLIGHT , communist and IRA supporters Steve Tilzey & Mike Luft when the red mobs ran riot in the town.  Amongst other crimes committed by Tilzey was the kidnapping of a young teenager together with several other extreme communists in their vans.

A couple of years later Fat Farnell left active party politics and started a 'journalists' course at the University of Lancashire in Preston. By all accounts, Fat Farnell was rubbish and his low marks ensured he left that course only to pop up again in the Labour Party.

Fat Farnell was a 'friend' of another Labour party pervert the Reverend Paul Flowers. It was Flowers who singlehandedly almost destroyed the Co-operative Society with his cruising the gay bars and snorting copious amounts of cocaine for himself and his young gay friends. The younger the better.

Fat Farnell himself has gone under the 'eye' of many people due to his secretive sexual preferences. Like Cyril Smith, Fat Farnell is a fat bullying gobshite. Also, like Smith he hasn't had any female friends/relationships and like Cyril Smith he doesn't seem to have any male 'friends'/relationships either. 

Fat Farnell undoubtedly knew about the Cyril Smith allegations. Farnell was close friends with Rochdale's Alternative Press (RAP) owners and Editors David Bartlett and John Walker who were the first to publish the info on Smiths perverted activities. Farnells other Rochdale councillor friend who knew about Smiths activities, was extreme left wing Labour harridan Mary Moffat.

Bartlett and Walker were both members of the Communist party of Great Britain (CPGB) and were the focus of all the extreme left wing trotskyist and marxist groups activities in the Rochdale area. RAP were helped in many ways by the Co-operative society, both financially and  materially, especially property. .

Farnell is an inveterate liar and will try to hang on with Labour in Rochdale. Rochdale is one of those crazy constituencies that would elect a dead cat if it was Labour.

Farnell has never had a proper job in his life and just milks the political system by the largesse granted from Rochdale Council via such things as 'expenses' . Just have look how much Farnells claimed in expenses over recent years. It's much better than working for a living .

Farnell drives a new 'jag' .