Lord Tom Pendry Keeps Some Good Company!

As widely reported by the press today, Stuart Hall OBE was arrested and charged with indecently assaulting three girls aged between 9 and 16 throughout 1974 and 1984.

It is widely known that Stuart Hall, born in Ashton-under-Lyne and later living in neighbouring Stalybridge was close friends with the Labour Peer, Tom Pendry, the former MP for Stalybridge &Hyde. So close in fact, their respective wives had a company together called "Pendry Hall Associates". Hall also campaigned for Pendry in the 1979 general election having appeared on the Labour MPs leaflet saying:

"Tom's a Knockout!

Says Stuart Hall

Firstly let me say that this is the first election address I have ever contributed. I am not making it lightly despite the fact that, as you probably know, humour plays a large and vital part of my family and professional life.

I am writing as a Hydonian by birth, my mother still lives on Mottram Road - and as a voter concerned with (ineligible), honesty and integrity. One of my deepest concerns is the apparent gap between London - the seat of Government - and us, the people who live in the "real" world "

According to the Tameside Eye magazine, the BBC became so concerned with Stuart Hall's political affiliation, that they suspended him from his Look North show for the duration of the election as it had tarnished his impartial image.

Not one shy to do pull in favours for his mates, as MP, he set up an Early Day Motion congratulating Stuart Hall on his 40th year in broadcasting.

It wasn't just Lord Pendry and Stuart Hall who knocked about together across Tameside. Part of that Old Boys Club was Owen Oyston and the late Roy Oldham, the former leader of Tameside Council. It is known in political circles across the borough that the group of men would meet at the Old Rectory in Denton where they would spend their afternoons getting sozzled and groping the barmaids. If any complained, Roy would threaten them with their jobs and would warn senior staff that he could easily get licensing in to shut the place down.

Owen Oyston is widely known as the multimillionaire Labour Party donor who was jailed for six years, yet served only three and a half years of that term for raping a 16 year old girl who worked for at one of his modelling agencies.

When Oyston was arrested, he had friends in high places to defend him to the high hills, including our former MP, Tom Pendry, who set up a EDM accusing Tory MPs of playing a "dirty tricks" campaign against Oyston. Indeed, he took a interest in Owen Oyston's case having written to the Home Office according to this Hansard entry.

Back in 2007, it was revealed by BBC Newsnight that Oyston had attened a Labour Party Fundraiser costing £1,000 a seat. Despite taking his shilling, a spokesman for Gordon Brown said:

"Mr Brown has asked the Labour Party general secretary (Peter Watt) to investigate, but he has already instructed him that any donation from Mr Oyston should not be accepted."

So if donations from Owen Oyston aren't to be accepted by the Labour Party, then why is it then that Lord Pendry is a shareholder of Oyston Steel Estates? Surely Pendry should disassociate himself from any financial interest from a convicted rapist?

And just to put it out there, the News of the World claimed that the former shadow sports minister hosted his own "sex games" in the House of Commons. The Screws was sued for libel, but were they on to something?

Tom Pendry is widely credited in Tony Blair's autobiography for getting him into Parliament when Blair's father-in-law, Tony Booth asked Pendry  for help getting Tony selected as an MP.

Tom Pendry - Friend to rapists and nonces.