Geoffrey Dickens
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Geoffrey Kenneth Dickens (26 August 1931 – 17 May 1995) was a British
Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
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. He was MP for Huddersfield West from 1979 until the seat was abolished in 1983. He was then elected for Littleborough and Saddleworth and held the seat until his death in 1995. Dickens is known for his anti-paedophile work, including the naming of diplomat Sir Peter Hayman as a paedophile in the House of Commons.


Early life

Dickens was born in London and fostered until he was eight years old. He never had contact with his mother afterwards. He was educated at schools at East Lane in Wembley and at Acton Technical College. He suffered
polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...
when he was 13, for which he had to spend two years in hospital. During his youth Dickens became a heavyweight boxer, sparring with
Don Cockell Donald John Cockell (22 September 1928 – 18 July 1983) was an English boxer. He fought for most of his career as a light-heavyweight and became the British and European champion at that weight. Later in his career he moved up to heavyweight ...
and Henry Cooper. He had 60 bouts, of which he won 40. He worked as an Aviation Design Draughtsman at BSP Industries in Borehamwood, Herts, whom he represented as a talented goalkeeper; he became a member of St Albans Rural District Council from 1967 to 1974, and was its chairman in 1970–71. He also was a member of
Hertfordshire County Council Hertfordshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Hertfordshire, in England, the United Kingdom. After the 2021 election, it consists of 78 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, ...
in 1970–1975. In 1972 Dickens was awarded the
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's Testimonial on Vellum after he saved two boys and a man from drowning in the sea off Majorca.


Member of Parliament

A Conservative politician, Dickens fought unsuccessfully for
Middlesbrough Middlesbrough ( ) is a town on the southern bank of the River Tees in North Yorkshire, England. It is near the North York Moors national park. It is the namesake and main town of its local borough council area. Until the early 1800s, the a ...
in
February 1974 The following events occurred in February 1974: February 1, 1974 (Friday) *Joelma fire, A fire killed 177 people and injured 293 others in the 23-story Joelma Building at São Paulo in Brazil. Another 11 later died of their injuries. The bl ...
and for Ealing North in October 1974. He won Huddersfield West in
1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the '' International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the '' Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the so ...
but this seat was abolished after boundary reviews. He was selected as the Conservative candidate for Littleborough and Saddleworth, which he won in
1983 The year 1983 saw both the official beginning of the Internet and the first mobile cellular telephone call. Events January * January 1 – The migration of the ARPANET to TCP/IP is officially completed (this is considered to be the beginning ...
. Described as " Falstaffian" and "the original 'rent-a-quote' man", over his time in parliament he campaigned for causes as diverse as the return of hanging and the banning of
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. He indicated in a 1987 BBC ''Heart of the Matter'' documentary that consideration should be given to re-criminalising homosexuality to prevent the spread of
HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...
, and opposed the
Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement OneBodyOneFaith, formerly the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM), describes itself as "UK-based international Charity which challenges homophobia and transphobia, especially within the Church and faith based organisations". History The Gay ...
(LGCM) and ordination of gay priests. He once held a press conference announcing an affair without, apparently, warning his wife. He served on the Commons Energy Select Committee.


Paedophile ring investigation

Between 1981 and 1985, Dickens campaigned against a suspected paedophile ring he claimed to have uncovered that was connected to trading
child pornography Child pornography (also called CP, child sexual abuse material, CSAM, child porn, or kiddie porn) is pornography that unlawfully exploits children for sexual stimulation. It may be produced with the direct involvement or sexual assault of a ...
. In 1981, Dickens named the former British High Commissioner to Canada, Sir Peter Hayman, as a paedophile in the House of Commons, using parliamentary privilege so he could not be sued for slander. Dickens asked why he had not been jailed after the discovery on a bus of violent pornography. In 1983, Dickens claimed there was a paedophile network involving "big, big names – people in positions of power, influence and responsibility" and threatened to name them in the Commons. The next year, he successfully campaigned for the banning of the Paedophile Information Exchange organisation, of which Hayman was a closet member.
Paedophile Information Exchange The Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE) was a British pro- paedophile activist group, founded in October 1974 and officially disbanded in 1984.Tom de Castella & Tom Heyde"How did the pro-paedophile group PIE exist openly for 10 years?" BBC Ne ...
. Dickens had a thirty-minute meeting with the Home Secretary,
Leon Brittan Leon Brittan, Baron Brittan of Spennithorne, (25 September 193921 January 2015) was a British Conservative politician and barrister who served as a European Commissioner from 1989 to 1999. As a member of Parliament from 1974 to 1988, he serv ...
, after giving him a dossier containing the child abuse allegations. Although Dickens said he was "encouraged" by the meeting, he later expressed concern that PIE had not (by then) been banned; though it was disbanded in 1984. On 29 November 1985, Dickens said in a speech to the Commons that paedophiles were "evil and dangerous" and that child pornography generated "vast sums". He further claimed that: "The noose around my neck grew tighter after I named a former high-flying British diplomat on the Floor of the House. Honourable Members will understand that where big money is involved and as important names came into my possession so the threats began. First, I received threatening telephone calls followed by two burglaries at my London home. Then, more seriously, my name appeared on a multi-killer's hit list". Dickens' son later said that about the time when the dossier was given to the Home Secretary, the MP's London flat and constituency home were both broken into but nothing was taken, presumably in a search for documents. The Labour MP Tom Watson asked the Home Office in February 2013 for Dickens' dossier. A Home Office review in 2013 concluded that any information requiring investigation was referred to the police but revealed that Mr Dickens' dossier was "not retained". After the issue had been raised again by Labour MP
Simon Danczuk Simon Christopher Danczuk (; born 24 October 1966) is a British author and former Member of Parliament (MP) who represented the constituency of Rochdale between 2010 and 2017. He has co-written two books, ''Smile for the Camera: The Double Life ...
in July 2014, former Director of Public Prosecutions,
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, said the circumstances in which the dossier had gone missing were alarming and recommended an inquiry into the fate of the dossier. Prime Minister David Cameron asked the Home Office Permanent Secretary to investigate what had happened to the missing dossier. Danczuk responded that another internal inquiry was merely trying to limit damage, and that a public inquiry was necessary to retain public confidence. The missing dossier has been linked with ongoing investigations into the
Elm Guest House child abuse scandal The Elm Guest House was a hotel in Rocks Lane, near Barnes Common in southwest London. In a list produced by convicted fraudster Chris Fay, several prominent British men were alleged to have engaged in sexual abuse and child grooming at the Guest ...
. In 2015, a file from 1981 was released into the National Archives titled ''SECURITY. Sir Peter Hayman: allegations against former public official of unnatural sexual proclivities; security aspects'', showing that the then-Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...
had been briefed on the matter before the allegations were made public by Dickens.


Legacy

The journalist
Patrick Cosgrave Patrick John Francis Cosgrave (28 September 1941 – 16 September 2001) was a British-Irish journalist and writer. A staunch supporter of the British Conservative Party, he was an adviser to Margaret Thatcher whilst she was Leader of the Opposi ...
said of Dickens in his obituary: "Nobody thought more highly of his capacities than Dickens himself." Michael Brown, who had been his whip, remembered "a superb constituency man who held down a Tory majority in difficult northern, working-class seats..."
Tristan Garel-Jones William Armand Thomas Tristan Garel-Jones, Baron Garel-Jones, PC (28 February 1941 – 23 March 2020) was a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Watford from 1979 to 1997, befor ...
wrote that "Despite the conscious self-deprecation, he was shrewder than he let on."


Personal life

Dickens married Norma Boothby in 1956 and the couple had two children. He died in office after a battle with liver cancer in May 1995, aged 63. Controversially, his
Liberal Democrat Several political parties from around the world have been called the Liberal Democratic Party or Liberal Democrats. These parties usually follow a liberal democratic ideology. Active parties Former parties See also *Liberal democracy *Lib ...
successor, Chris Davies, openly campaigned for election during Dickens's illness.


References


Sources

* ''
Times Guide to the House of Commons ''The Times Guide to the House of Commons'' is a political reference guide book published by Times Newspapers giving coverage of general elections in the United Kingdom. Following most general elections since 1880, the book has been published. Th ...
'', Times Newspapers Limited, 1992 edition.


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dickens, Geoffrey 1931 births 1995 deaths Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies UK MPs 1979–1983 UK MPs 1983–1987 UK MPs 1987–1992 UK MPs 1992–1997 Alumni of Brunel University London Conservative Party (UK) councillors Members of Hertfordshire County Council Politicians from Wembley Anti-pedophile activism Deaths from liver cancer People with polio British male boxers