MP condemns paedophile rights smear campaign

Labour Party deputy leader Harriet Harman has condemned a “politically-motivated smear campaign” amid questions about her alleged historic links to paedophile rights campaigns.

The Daily Mail has questioned the politician, her MP husband Jack Dromey, and former health secretary Patricia Hewitt over their actions while officials at the National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) in the 1970s.

The body granted ’affiliate’ status to the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE), and is said to have lobbied for loosening of laws.

Ms Harman said she had “done nothing wrong”.

“They have accused me of being an apologist for child sex abuse, of supporting a vile paedophile organisation, of having a relaxed attitude to paedophilia and of watering down child pornography laws. These are horrific allegations and I strongly deny them, all of them,” she said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for Ms Harman had earlier dismissed the story as “untrue and ridiculous”, while neither Mr Dromey or Mrs Hewitt have commented.

Ed Miliband defended Ms Harman.