Jimmy Savile

Discussed this with my gay son last night. He finds it hilarious that Cameron came out with his daft comment. He said 'there are responsible gay men who don't put a foot wrong, promiscuous gay men who take sensible precautions when having consensual sex with adults, reckless gay men who take risks when having consensual sex with adults, bi-sexual men who manage to retain some integrity and conduct relationships monogamously, bi-sexual men who blow relationships out of the water because they can't be faithful to their partner, and completely apart from all that, there are paedophiles who harm children, who might also be gay, straight or bi-sexual. Just because they might also be gay should not be a reason for them to avoid prosecution by hiding behind complaints that there is a witch hunt against politicians who happen to be gay. Those responsible gay politicians who do not step out of line will be highly offended by these paedophiles climbing refuge under the gay banner.'

I never thought I would be defending David Cameron, but I think he was simply commenting because the names he was given happened to be those of gay men. I don't think for one minute he intended to imply that all gay men were potential paedophiles - he is backing gay marriage, after all. I am quite sure that some of his best friends are gay!

Jingle yes, why don't these names take it to court and thrash it out? Or perhaps they don't want people to look closely at these issues? I remember a red-top paper taking the plunge and putting 'Murderer' headlines on their front page to provoke the killers of Stephen Lawrence into court action. If only .....

Philip Schofied was wrong to do that, but I empathise with his frustration about the whole sorry business. He has spent a lot of time interviewing victims of sexual abuse and will understand the impact on them, I'm sure. But he is not an investigative journalist. David Cameron was wrong to imply that paedophiles will be confused with gay people. Perhaps that's how he thinks, but most people aren't that daft.

The names are easily found. Just type something relevant in Google and pages of stuff will appear. These names have not suddenly appeared out of the blue. There are constructive and informed Internet sites that evidence each of their allegations and cross-reference them. This information has been presented to the authorities several times, and covered up when it has gone higher up the chain.

I do like a good conspiracy theory, and a conspiracy-busting alternative explanation. There are no alternative explanations being offered here.

I wonder if online publishing companies can be sued in the same way that the printed press can be.

I don't mean GNners should stop discussing - just that the press need to back off and so do people on twitter and FB

having grown up in S Wales where there were corrupt men's networks pervading the police, the freemasons, local councillors etc nothing would surprise me. However trial by twitter is not on.
There are 8 enquiries taking place and "the story" needs a rest now, while they do their work, rather than all and sundry trying to anticipate their findings.

Can we be sure that the Guardian has not carefully thought out a way to name the individual, whilst staying inside the law themselves?

I can assure you Nanadog that I find nothing laughable about child sexual abuse.

It now appears that one noble Lord, head of a large construction company, may have been wrongly named, as the accuser gave only a family name and said the abuser was dead. Or could it be that the deceased relative is being used to protect the real culprit. The plot could hardly get thicker, with accusations that people were murdered by the security services to stop them speaking out, and even that Jill Dando could have been a victim.
Just because many conspiracy theories are rubbish, it does not mean that they all are.
Even if the abusers prove to have been lower down the chain in the police force, children's homes, hospitals, magistrates, etc. I hope that they are pursued with the full force of the law. I don't suppose the victims were any less traumatised.

I know 'two wrongs don't make a right' but Dave's response was equally inappropriate, see previous postings.
I can see that there must be a huge amount of frustration about the seeming inactivity, investigations are promised but we all know how long these can take. Added to that previous investigations haven't exactly exposed the extent of the abuse.
P.S. Apart from one name, I haven't a clue either Jean!

Does anyone else think that Philip Schofield should not have presented the names on a piece of paper to David Cameron like that? I didn't see the programme, only a clip on the news but to me it seemed not the right way to discuss a dreadfully serious topic.
BTW I don't know the 'names' either!!

I don't think there's anything laughable about any of this JO. I do agree that some of the names mentioned brought me up short. Such prominent people in such high positions and positions of power. But then so was Jimmy Saville. What was previously unthinkable is now all too believable.

Of course these allegations now have to be investigated and this time investigated fully and, as when said the public have to ensure that there are no further cover ups.

The mud has already been thrown gramps, the names are all out there, but if these people are innocent then they need to be given a chance to clear their names.

What the public won't tolerate is the old boy network simply closing ranks again and protecting their own.

Yes I agree, allegations are not convictions. On the other hand, it has been an open 'secret' amongst police and media organisations, and when investigation reports are shredded to prevent victims suing, and many people come forward with the same names complaining that they weren't listened to before, we have to ensure the pressure is kept up to avoid further cover-ups. Offenders involved in paedophile rings have been naming these names for years, and the reason they are on the internet is because they have been 'outed' out of frustration. Anyone who believes this new propaganda about these 'elite' abusers only being gay, should be equally cautious. It's an attempt to undermine the strength of the public's feelings about what is, as yet, the tip of the iceberg.

Great caution needed in these allegations So very easy to start a rumour, but, mud sticks: No matter who the recipient may be!

Some of the names are ludicrous.

There may be no truth in much of it.

I thought it was drivel too when. I was as if everyone had been warned off saying anything worthwhile. Drivel, drivel, drivel.

FFS!! Such drivel being Spoken on QT. Are we now going to hear some aged politicians bleating 'but he told me he was 18!' Do they think we are stupid? I feel so angry that these 'elite' abusers will try to wriggle out of being convicted by claiming that the law has changed for gay people now, and what they did then wasn't really against the law. They took those young boys out of their care homes and sexually attacked them. It wasn't legal then and it isn't legal now! [furious emoticon]

That should say 'being discussed'

It's just being is used on Question Time now.

It's very suspicious.

I don't!

when, I echo your post, I was only saying much the same to Mr P when listening to PM on Radio 4 earlier. Gay does NOT equal paedophile!

I hope something is being done Ana. Better the authorities do it quickly before they are faced with vigilantes carrying banners for all to see.

I think most people know the names by now - but why is nothing being done?

Since one of those names put forwards is a close friend of the Camerons......allegedly????

So David Cameron has warned us that there is a danger of a witch hunt against people who are gay! Since when did being an alleged paedophile equate with being gay? Since when did abusing boys under the age of 16 equate with consensual sexual activity? And since when did middle-aged men having forceable sex with teenagers and pre-pubescent boys strike any reasonable person as acceptable? I thought he was an idiot, and now it has been confirmed