Margaret Thatcher was adamant officials should not publicly name Sir Peter Hayman, a senior diplomat connected to a paedophile scandal, even after she had been fully briefed on his activities, examination of formerly secret papers released to the National Archives shows.
The 37-page file includes numerous handwritten notes and annotations by the late Conservative prime minister. It also reveals that security services were not initially informed about Hayman’s proclivities, as a secretary forgot to pass on a message to the relevant official and police neglected to follow up the matter.
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The memo ends: “It is the policy of the law officers that persons who have been investigated by the police but not prosecuted should not be named in the House [of Commons], as to do so is to cast an unnecessary slur on the person without his having the opportunity to clear his name before a court.”
Thatcher amends this paragraph to cross out “in the House”, indicating that she did not believe Hayman should be named anywhere. She also strongly underlined the word “slur”.
[She failed; Hayman was named in the media and in Parliament].
And this is the person the right regards as a saint...