A Very English Scandal summary

All too aware of the risks Scott’s loose mouth posed to his political career, Thorpe called on two loyal friends – David Holmes and Peter Bessell – to help him figure out what to do.

Holmes was openly homosexual and a close friend of Thorpe’s since their student years at Oxford. Bessell was a member of Parliament with the Liberal Party as well as a failing businessman known for his love of gossip. While it’s unknown whether Holmes and Thorpe had ever had a relationship, they were said to have shared sexual partners. Either way, Holmes was unwaveringly loyal to Thorpe.

By this time, Thorpe had been elected as the leader of the Liberal Party. He’d made many sacrifices to get to the top and refused to let his affair with Scott ruin his career.

In 1975, Thorpe asked for a donation of £17,000 from Jack Hayward to help fund his “lobby for electoral reform.” Thorpe requested that £10,000 of the total £17,000 be deposited into an account separate from the official Liberal Party account.

In 1979, Thorpe became the first and only member of Parliament to stand trial for attempted murder in British history.

The undeniable links between Holmes and Newton were certainly incriminating. When Bessel also agreed to give testimony against Thorpe, the politician could no longer avoid criminal charges.

While Carman fought ferociously in the courtroom, other forces behind the scenes were at work to ensure Thorpe didn’t end up behind bars.

A friend of Thorpe’s named Lord Elwyn-Jones chose the judge for the criminal trial. The judge in question was Joseph Cantley, a man rumored to have abstained from sex up until the age of 56. Chaste and puritanical, Judge Cantley could hardly imagine that a well-to-do political figure such as Thorpe would ever be involved in such a sordid affair.

Authorities have worked furiously for decades to mask and minimize the blunders and potential crimes of politicians.

One example is the case of Cyril Smith. Smith was a former Liberal member of Parliament and, as was revealed after his death, a serial child molester. In 2014, it was discovered that there were over 114 complaints against Smith from boys as young as eight.