A very English Scandal

Why naive ? BlueBelle ? I didn’t follow politics when I was in primary school !

Bit naive there gillybob it’s a constant and I m sure many things about today’s politics will come out 20/30 years from now

Gosh, gillybob, were you just a child at the time? I was in my 20s and remember it all very clearly. I remember being amazed at how bizarre the happenings were, but not being surprised by the whole affair, any study of politics, no matter how far back (or forward), is littered with tales of cover-ups and show trials.

Until I read about it, I didn’t realise that the drama was based on true events . I wasn’t aware of the scandal at the time although I have heard of Jeremy Thorpe ( found him quite creepy ) . I watched the BBC 4 documentary last night and can honestly say I was gobsmacked ( talk about the truth being stranger than fiction) that the police, the civil service, the establishment and the judiciary were all “ in on it” and helped in the cover up / acquittal of JT .

What do you consider to be the point, Mawbroon?

We thought it was very good but can't believe how biased the judge's summing up was - presumably based on fact. We recorded the documentary on BBC4 after it so will watch that tonight. Quite nice to see the updates at the end and that Norman Scott is still alive.

Well looks like the point of the drama escaped some people altogether

I loved the Morris Minor police car?

Isn’t it interesting how attitudes and opinions have changed over the three weeks of the dramas transmission?
Go back to the beginning of the thread and you should see what I mean ?

Brilliant. Just brilliant. British acting and filming at it’s best. I’m not at all sure about how it’ll affect our politician’s standing when it goes out on general release around the world though. I hope the world realises things have changed and our politians and judiciary are now honest and of good moral character. (They are aren’t they!)

I thought it was an excellent drama I really really enjoyed it I thought the acting was brilliant and after turning over and watching BBC4 afterwards I m absolutely astounded by how the actors all looked and sounded so like their character Brilliant
How anyone can say they feel sorry ( even slightly sorry) for that man I cannot understand he was an absolute weasel who would go to any lengths to save himself and his reputation The judge was an abomination (I thought they had to be neutral in their summing up) and the main reason that Thorpe walked free in triumphant gosh how poor Norman must have felt when he saw the fawning cheering crowds and him kissing his poor wife
I hope they do reopen the case and vindicate Norman before his life ends
I thought the acting and the portrayal which kept closely to the true story was brilliant ( and no problem with the music)
Well done to them all and good luck to Norman

What a great production. Sad, funny, shocking..it had all the elements. What a miscarriage of justice. Good that Norman Scott still alive and looking after dogs.

I too thought it was a well made drama and the following documentary was enlightening.

One thing struck me and that was my perception of Jeremy Thorpe. All those years ago I saw him as a rather grey, hunched personality with barely any charisma. Watching footage of his campaigning made me realise how wrong I was.

Black and white TV had a lot to answer for

www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/call-midwife-homophobia-storyline-moves-5090733

I seem to recall an episode of Call the Midwife which dealt with entrapment in public toilets. I do have to say that having watched the TM programme, the idea of a cover up of a Westminster peodophile ring doesn’t seem quite so fanciful anymore does it?

And he never got his National Insurance card

They were all bent !

From the police upwards .

Shocking how things are covered up. Not surprising though. We all know how corrupt those in power are.
I have to say I really enjoyed it. The acting was superb. Best thing I've seen Hugh Grant do. I felt sorry for Norman Scott. He was a pathetic figure.

It was, I think, an extremely well made drama.

It was quite shocking to see what transpired in the eventual criminal trial which was manipulated in such a way as to make the not guilty verdict - to the very serious allegations of incitement and conspiracy to murder - an inevitability. Thorpe did not take the stand and so was never questioned on any of the issues. That was, of course, his prerogative but what was almost difficult to comprehend was the way in which the Judge got away with, in effect, rigorously advocating on behalf of Thorpe.

I think it was pretty clear from the documentary that followed the dramatisation that the establishment certainly closed ranks and hid information in order to protect one of its own. Being a homosexual or engaging in any other sexual activities that at that time were considered improper, did pose security risks. This had already been demonstrated in other cases (eg Vassell being blackmailed to spy for Russia) and so people like the Home Secretary were, it appears, in dereliction of their duty.

Agree with you entirely MaryEliza a giant stinking cover up from the police , the establishment and the law.

Elrel did you watch the programme on BBC4 straight afterwards as well - even worse.

He got lampooned afterwards - yes, his 'summing up' was a verdict.

I’d not watched until tonight’s final episode and found it chilling. Some politicians, their families and friends, will stoop to anything to protect their public images and power. Worrying how complicit authority figures were.
Who now in power will be exposed in decades to come?

Yes Jal that was the verdict but not the truth - the Judge was a piece of work wasn’t he?

Well there you go - whilst ordinary men were being entrapped in public toilets and sent to prison, the well connected rich and powerful were protected not just from the consequences of their homosexuality but from their conspiracy to murder. What a stench