DEAD Westminster perverts should be stripped of their honours and gongs, a landmark report has demanded.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse called on government to change rules that mean titles cannot be stripped from the dead.
Technically, titles die with the individual but some prolific sex offenders such as MP Cyril Smith and diplomat Peter Hayman both mentioned in the report had been knighted and are known as Sirs.
The report revealed that cops had enough evidence to prosecute serial abuser Smith MP for Rochdale for 20 years until 1992.
But he never faced criminal action despite 144 complaints from alleged victims.
Lord Steel, leader of the Liberal Party at the time, admitted to the inquiry he assumed Smith had committed the offences but took no action as they pre-dated Smiths time in office.
Yesterday, the 81-year-old quit the Liberal Democrats and the Lords but did not apologise.
The inquiry was launched in 2014, following the Jimmy Savile scandal.
In the same year, former deputy Labour leader Tom Watson said there was clear intelligence suggesting a powerful paedophile network linked to Parliament and No10.
The report dismissed claims of an organised sex ring at the heart of government.
But it said senior cops knew of houses in Westminster used for abuse and kept away from them.
It also revealed a culture in government that valued its own reputation far higher than the fate of the children involved.
A spokesman said the Government would carefully consider the report recommendations.
