Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie urged to stand down over Lord Steel cover-up claims

An abuse survivor caught up in the Cyril Smith scandal has called for Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie to resign or be sacked.

Peter Todd said admissions by former Liberal Party leader Lord David Steel – that he knew of allegations Smith was a child abuser – were unforgiveable.

Steel resigned from the House of Lords last week after being criticised in a review. But Mr Todd, who witnessed abuse by Smith in the 1990s, said Mr Rennie should stand down after the way the party had dealt with the case.

Lord Steel was suspended by the Lib Dems last March after admitting discussions he had with Smith while Liberal leader in 1979 led him to conclude Smith was a child abuser. Scots Lib Dem Party chiefs ruled there were no grounds for action and reinstated Steel in May.

But he resigned from the party and the Lords on Tuesday after the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse accused him of an “abdication of responsibility”.

Mr Todd said Mr Rennie, as Scots Lib Dem leader, must quit after the party reinstated Lord Steel last year.

Mr Todd, 37, of Thurso, Caithness, said: “I witnessed terrible things including Cyril Smith raping a friend in front of me at a residential school.

“Six weeks later my friend took his life. We were both 15 at the time.

“What Lord Steel admitted last year was just unforgiveable. He should have called in the police.

“I’ve read Willie Rennie’s comments about Lord Steel and, as far as I’m concerned, he should also resign or he should be sacked. His party allegedly investigated what Steel told the inquiry and cleared him.

“Clearly the inquiry did not and Mr Rennie really needs to explain why.”

Mr Rennie, who apparently praised Steel’s record in public life despite the damning verdict of the abuse inquiry, said: “Cyril Smith’s acts were vile and repugnant. The child abuse inquiry report has criticisms for David Steel and the wider political arena which is why it was the right thing to do for David Steel to resign from the Liberal Democrats and withdraw from the House of Lords.

“The Scottish Lib Dem inquiry last year concluded no further action was required at that time. The party executive took that decision conscious that the child abuse inquiry had a wider remit and would report the following year.

“Now that it has reported, David Steel has taken the appropriate course of action. Everyone in public life has a duty to take safeguarding and vigilance incredibly seriously.”