I think this is an extremely interesting and welcome development.
It is good to know that if the CPS refuse to pursue a criminal case against historic abuse and those that knew and by remaining silent were part of a child abuse cover-up, that there are solicitors out there willing to represent victims and pursue this through the civil courts.
The recent public acceptance by Operation Fernbridge that Cyril Smith did abuse children at Elm Guest House can only help any victims of Cyril Smith.
Good luck !
Protected by the Establishment ?
Those who stood by while Cyril Smith MP carried out years of physical and sexual abuse face legal action, solicitors have confirmed.
Legal firm Pannone has been contacted by seven alleged victims of the politician and are now investigating how and why the abuse was allowed to take place.
The civil case is being run separately from an ongoing police investigation into allegations of abuse.
Alan Collins, one of the country’s best known solicitors in the field of child abuse law, who also acted in the Jimmy Savile case, said: “We are acting on behalf of the Cyril Smith victims and we are now looking at those who might be responsible for knowing what Cyril Smith was up to and those who would have allowed him to have abused these children.
“It is a civil case brought on behalf of the victims and is still at quite an early stage.”
Earlier this month, a report was released revealing details from the original police file, which raised concerns that senior figures within the establishment leaned on prosecutors to ensure Smith was not brought to justice.
theneedleblog 
@gojam i have noticed a few agencies that have appeared of late willing to bring these criminals to justice even when the abuser is dead compensation is sought..now whether this is a philanthropic gesture or a sense of fair play one can only surmise all the same at last someone can see the sense in following these cases up..
Good!
Let’s hope this brings the whole house of cards down whilst obtaining justice for the victims.
Not just the Libs. Whose office safe was it in special branch Preston, where Smith’s thick file of allegations lay before officer Tony Robinson was instructed to turn them over to Mi5 in the ’70s? Who in MI5 received and reviewed that file? Who was the Director of Public Prosecutions in the ’70s who deemed the allegations to be ‘not in the public interest’ to pursue?
Will past and present leaders of the Liberal Party be quaking in their boots I wonder?