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Russian and US spies compiled their own secret dossiers on paedophile MPs and other VIP abusers , it has been claimed.

Police are investigating missing files put together by UK campaigners which allege a powerful network at the heart of Westminister in the 1970s and 80s.

The Sunday People can reveal that agents from the Russian KGB and the American CIA were also said to have compiled their own intelligence in search of “dirt” on key individuals at the height of the Cold War.

One source close to the KGB said: “These were troubled times and my task was to identify people who could perhaps help us with information.

“We knew of some MPs who loved rent boys, and others who were active paedophiles.

“We were also aware of some unusual activities at Westminster and the work of the Paedophile Information Exchange (PIE).

"Several regular names emerged and we wanted to make contact and use this to our advantage.

“In those days, MPs were protected by Special Branch and anyone with a chequered history, or an unhealthy appetite for young children, was soon flagged up by them.

“They had a difficult job but were fully aware that we knew what they knew, and they tried hard to suppress any possible leaks.”

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Former Home Secretary Leon Brittan, who died last week, was named in the historical sexual abuse scandal after claims he was handed a dossier containing details of the abuse allegations in the 1980s.

Mr Brittan - also named last week as an abuser at the notorious Elm Guest House - was accused of failing to act on the evidence passed to him by Tory MP Geoffrey Dickens in 1983.

While he admitted he had met Mr Dickens and had been handed a file, he said he had passed it on to officials and was not contacted about the issue again.

Former Labour minister Barbara Castle compiled her own damning files on PIE - which was urging ministers to legalise sex with children - and they were seized by Special Branch officers in 1984.

(Image: REX/POPPERFOTO/GETTY IMAGES)

Police are now trying to find the dossiers as part of a huge investigation into the historic abuse claims.

Our source said: “Many times the CIA tipped off the Brits about their own guys, but it was like a game of cat and mouse.

“We both kept files, and some surprising names were involved.

"I am sure they will still exist. All intelligence agencies retained an extensive archive and I believe files on these English MP’s will be available.”

Former Rochdale Liberal MP Cyril Smith was a surprisingly well-known name to the Russians.

He said: “We knew Smith had been arrested for having child pornography, and sexual activities at children’s homes. Special Branch intervened several times.

“We also knew about former MP Geoffrey Dickens and his dossier on child abuse given to your Home Secretary Leon Brittan in 1983.

"We expected a major inquiry with Smith and others arrested , but nothing happened.

“Brittan ran your Special Branch. He also organised a ‘dirty tricks’ campaign with Prime Minister Thatcher against the miners and militants.”

Tony Robinson, 81, an experienced former Special Branch officer originally based at Widnes, confirmed much of what the KGB had claimed, admitting his own prime task was to monitor northwest MPs.

He was also the man who found Cyril Smith’s prosecution files deliberately hidden at his Blackburn headquarters, and explained: “My role dealt with political rather than criminal elements. They were exciting years and involved incidents of industrial strife, militants and subversives.”

He said that although he couldn’t reveal the full extent of his work due to the Official Secrets Act, he agreed he had helped protect MPs, tried to counter ‘any possible blackmail attempts' and was aware of a Soviet interest in certain individuals.

Paedophole diplomat 'vulnerable to blackmail, secret files reveal

A top British diplomat engaged in “sexual perversion” in the 60s and was vulnerable to blackmail, previously secret files reveal.

MI6 operative Sir Peter Hayman kept “explicit records of his sexual activities and fantasies”, a report from the 80s said.

Some of his fantasies related to children but had not been acted on, a Cabinet Office briefing to then-PM Margaret Thatcher said.

MP Geoffrey Dickens used parliamentary privilege in 1983 to accuse Hayman of being a paedophile.

The briefing confirms that Hayman was a member of the Paedophile Information Exchange.

Despite blackmail fears a probe found “no prejudice to security”.

Hayman, who was High Commissioner to Canada, died in 1992