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| Danczuk suggests 'Corbynites' among protesters targeting him | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Simon Danczuk has accused “Corbynites” and other political opponents of fuelling a protest outside his constituency office in Rochdale in an attempt to gain political capital. | Simon Danczuk has accused “Corbynites” and other political opponents of fuelling a protest outside his constituency office in Rochdale in an attempt to gain political capital. |
| Speaking after his first wife, Sonia Rossington, told the Guardian on Monday that she would contact police over allegations of drug- and drink-fuelled bullying, the Labour MP defied calls to resign and insisted the demonstration was driven by political “extremists” on the far left and did not represent the views of his constituents. | |
| “In terms of the protest, the reality is that it’s a small group of opposition people who just want to cause trouble,” he told journalists outside his constituency office. | “In terms of the protest, the reality is that it’s a small group of opposition people who just want to cause trouble,” he told journalists outside his constituency office. |
| Danczuk later suggested that the criticism of his behaviour demonstrated an “establishment class issue”, claiming that Boris Johnson’s “colourful” personal life received less scrutiny because he is upper class. | |
| Danczuk was suspended from Labour on New Year’s Eve over allegations he sent sexually explicit text messages to a 17-year-old girl who had inquired about a job in his office. The MP, 49 – a prominent campaigner against child sexual abuse – apologised unreservedly and blamed a drink problem for the messages he sent to Sophena Houlihan. | Danczuk was suspended from Labour on New Year’s Eve over allegations he sent sexually explicit text messages to a 17-year-old girl who had inquired about a job in his office. The MP, 49 – a prominent campaigner against child sexual abuse – apologised unreservedly and blamed a drink problem for the messages he sent to Sophena Houlihan. |
| As he left his office ahead of a planned protest at 11am, Danczuk said the demonstration was made up of his political enemies. “It’s made up of Lib Dems, ex-Lib Dem councillors, people from Rochdale Momentum, so they’re on the far left of the political spectrum. There’s some Greens involved in it,” he said. | As he left his office ahead of a planned protest at 11am, Danczuk said the demonstration was made up of his political enemies. “It’s made up of Lib Dems, ex-Lib Dem councillors, people from Rochdale Momentum, so they’re on the far left of the political spectrum. There’s some Greens involved in it,” he said. |
| “It’s political opponents that have come together to try and use my personal life to cause trouble and to try and gain political capital, which they’re welcome to do – that’s up to them. But the vast majority of Rochdale people will have no truck with extremists like that.” He added: “I think some Corbynites are causing some of the trouble.” | “It’s political opponents that have come together to try and use my personal life to cause trouble and to try and gain political capital, which they’re welcome to do – that’s up to them. But the vast majority of Rochdale people will have no truck with extremists like that.” He added: “I think some Corbynites are causing some of the trouble.” |
| Liz Thirsk, a former Liberal Democrat member of Rochdale council, said earlier on Monday that protesters would demand an explanation for why Danczuk would not resign. His ex-partner, Claire Hamilton, has also claimed he was not fit to be an MP. | |
| But Danczuk rejected demands for his resignation, saying: “It’s not for ex-girlfriends or ex-wives to determine who the MP for Rochdale [is]; it’s for the residents of Rochdale to determine who the MP for Rochdale is. | |
| “I’ve been very clear about what issues I’ve addressed personally and I’ll continue to do that. What I’m going to do now is go round and meet some of the people of Rochdale and have a chat about it.” | |
| As he left his constituency office, tailed by a small group of reporters and photographers, Danczuk tried to brush off suggestions that he was under huge political and personal pressure over the allegations, saying: “It’s been fine. I’ve been keeping in touch with lots of people; I’ve been in the constituency for most of the week, so I’ve been getting round and doing what MPs do, which is meeting constituents and learning about what the issues are.” | |
| The most dramatic moment of the protest came when Danczuk was confronted by two men while speaking to someone in the town centre. The MP said “I’d better go” as he spotted the men, who shouted “resign, you scumbag” as they followed him at speed to his office. | |
| Two other women, who said they were members of Rochdale Labour,branded Danczuk a “celebrity MP” and said he had only been elected because of his party. “Where was he when the floods were happening? In the pub with his girlfriend,” said one of the women, who declined to be named over fears they could be expelled from the party for speaking out. | |
| Philip Gilligan, 63, a member of the Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group, said outside Danczuk’s office: “I’m here because I’m fed up of Simon Danczuk being the MP for Rochdale, [of] years of him embarrassing Rochdale.”Asked on Monday whether he would continue to take a prominent role in campaigning and writing for national newspapers, Danczuk said: “In terms of writing for national newspapers, I do think there is – and I don’t complain about this – an interesting dichotomy between people like Boris Johnson, who make a lot of money as a member of parliament, and indeed as mayor of London, whilst writing for the Daily Telegraph and the right-wing media, and who has a very colourful personal life. | |
| “And yet a working-class lad like me in Rochdale, who writes for some of the national newspapers and has a working-class colourful personal life, I get lambasted. I think there is still very much an establishment class issue going on. It’s a sociological issue this, but how some of this stuff plays out is quite interesting.” | |
| Earlier on Monday, Rossington told the Guardian she would go to the police after claiming he drove her to therapy with what she has alleged was drug- and alcohol-fuelled bullying. She also said she would give evidence to a Labour party inquiry into his behaviour. | Earlier on Monday, Rossington told the Guardian she would go to the police after claiming he drove her to therapy with what she has alleged was drug- and alcohol-fuelled bullying. She also said she would give evidence to a Labour party inquiry into his behaviour. |
| Rossington accused Danczuk of being a sexual predator in a Mail on Sunday interview at the weekend, alleging that he would have sex with her while she slept and bully her into silence. | Rossington accused Danczuk of being a sexual predator in a Mail on Sunday interview at the weekend, alleging that he would have sex with her while she slept and bully her into silence. |
| Speaking on the doorstep of her home in Darwen, Lancashire, Rossington told the Guardian she would contact police about her allegations. Asked if she would speak to Labour’s disciplinary inquiry into Danczuk, she said: “I’ve not been invited to [but] yes, of course if I was invited to, but I’ve not been.” | Speaking on the doorstep of her home in Darwen, Lancashire, Rossington told the Guardian she would contact police about her allegations. Asked if she would speak to Labour’s disciplinary inquiry into Danczuk, she said: “I’ve not been invited to [but] yes, of course if I was invited to, but I’ve not been.” |
| Then asked whether she would contact the police, Rossington said: “Yes. Yes.” Asked when, she added: “Like I said, I don’t want to speak to any more press at all.” | Then asked whether she would contact the police, Rossington said: “Yes. Yes.” Asked when, she added: “Like I said, I don’t want to speak to any more press at all.” |
| Related: Simon Danczuk: I won't be dragged through a kangaroo court | Related: Simon Danczuk: I won't be dragged through a kangaroo court |
| Danczuk earlier responded to Rossington’s claims, telling the Mail on Sunday: “She is consumed by bitterness, is susceptible to drinking too much and is telling lies.” | Danczuk earlier responded to Rossington’s claims, telling the Mail on Sunday: “She is consumed by bitterness, is susceptible to drinking too much and is telling lies.” |
| The MP declined to comment further on Sunday, but a friend of Danczuk’s said: “Some of the allegations [made by the MP’s ex-wife] are clearly criminal, but she’s never been to the police or anything like that.” | The MP declined to comment further on Sunday, but a friend of Danczuk’s said: “Some of the allegations [made by the MP’s ex-wife] are clearly criminal, but she’s never been to the police or anything like that.” |
| Danczuk told the Guardian on Saturday that he had instructed solicitors to take legal action against Rossington. “Ever since I was elected an MP in 2010 she has been pestering journalists, trying to spread malicious falsehoods and defamatory allegations about me,” he claimed. | Danczuk told the Guardian on Saturday that he had instructed solicitors to take legal action against Rossington. “Ever since I was elected an MP in 2010 she has been pestering journalists, trying to spread malicious falsehoods and defamatory allegations about me,” he claimed. |
| His friends say that Rossington has a history of giving stories to newspapers about her ex-husband. In 2014, she gave an interview to the Sun in which she said Danczuk had taken ecstasy and cannabis while a student – a claim he admitted. | His friends say that Rossington has a history of giving stories to newspapers about her ex-husband. In 2014, she gave an interview to the Sun in which she said Danczuk had taken ecstasy and cannabis while a student – a claim he admitted. |
| Danczuk was suspended from Labour on New Year’s Eve over the allegations that he sent sexually explicit text messages to Houlihan. | Danczuk was suspended from Labour on New Year’s Eve over the allegations that he sent sexually explicit text messages to Houlihan. |
| Houlihan, who is now 18, said Danczuk sent her numerous messages including one asking if she wanted a “spanking”, after she contacted him about a job. | Houlihan, who is now 18, said Danczuk sent her numerous messages including one asking if she wanted a “spanking”, after she contacted him about a job. |
| The MP’s personal life has repeatedly made headlines over the past year, following the collapse of his marriage to his wife Karen, who was dubbed the “selfie queen” after posting numerous photographs of herself in low-cut tops. | |
| It is understood that Labour is considering dropping Ken Livingstone from any inquiry into Danczuk after the former mayor of London criticised the MP for Rochdale last week. Danczuk claimed Livingstone has prejudged any inquiry. | It is understood that Labour is considering dropping Ken Livingstone from any inquiry into Danczuk after the former mayor of London criticised the MP for Rochdale last week. Danczuk claimed Livingstone has prejudged any inquiry. |