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Simon Danczuk censured for late registration of Daily Mail cash Simon Danczuk censured for late registration of Daily Mail cash
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Simon Danczuk, the Labour MP for Rochdale, has been censured by the parliamentary authorities for late declarations of almost £20,000 in payments – the bulk of which are from his book exposing his Liberal predecessor Cyril Smith.Simon Danczuk, the Labour MP for Rochdale, has been censured by the parliamentary authorities for late declarations of almost £20,000 in payments – the bulk of which are from his book exposing his Liberal predecessor Cyril Smith.
The MP, who has become a darling of the rightwing press for his campaign against sexual abuse, has been found to be in serious breach of Commons procedures because he repeatedly failed to register monies on time – including more than £12,000 for excerpts from his book, Smile for the Camera, which appeared in the Daily Mail. The MP, who has become a darling of the rightwing press for his campaign about an establishment cover-up of sexual abuse, has been found to be in serious breach of Commons procedures because he repeatedly failed to register monies on time – including more than £12,000 for excerpts from his book, Smile for the Camera, which appeared in the Daily Mail.
While Danczuk was cleared of any intention to conceal the cash and argued that a loss of office staff had meant systems were not in place to register his interests in time, MPs on the parliamentary committee that considers complaints said he would have to report back in October 2015 to prove that he will conform to the procedures of the house.While Danczuk was cleared of any intention to conceal the cash and argued that a loss of office staff had meant systems were not in place to register his interests in time, MPs on the parliamentary committee that considers complaints said he would have to report back in October 2015 to prove that he will conform to the procedures of the house.
Kathryn Hudson, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, said that while MPs had 28 days to register interests and 15% of payments for employment for which dates were given were registered late, Danczuk’s behaviour had been unacceptable.Kathryn Hudson, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, said that while MPs had 28 days to register interests and 15% of payments for employment for which dates were given were registered late, Danczuk’s behaviour had been unacceptable.
Hudson said: “At the time when the complaint was made Mr Danczuk had registered one item in the first seven months of the year. During the course of my inquiries he has registered a further 22 items, 13 of which were late. Mr Danczuk has made six late registrations since I drew this matter to his attention, two of these more than a month late. The total amount of money involved was £19,894. Repeated failures to make timely registrations add up to a serious matter.”Hudson said: “At the time when the complaint was made Mr Danczuk had registered one item in the first seven months of the year. During the course of my inquiries he has registered a further 22 items, 13 of which were late. Mr Danczuk has made six late registrations since I drew this matter to his attention, two of these more than a month late. The total amount of money involved was £19,894. Repeated failures to make timely registrations add up to a serious matter.”
Danczuk is one of the most high-profile backbenchers, with regular appearances on television and in the newspapers – something which has made matters worse.Danczuk is one of the most high-profile backbenchers, with regular appearances on television and in the newspapers – something which has made matters worse.
“This situation was then exacerbated by an increase in the number of registrations required as a result of the high profile he has acquired in the last year … as yet I have no evidence that Mr Danczuk has put in place any administrative system which will ensure that it does not [continue].”“This situation was then exacerbated by an increase in the number of registrations required as a result of the high profile he has acquired in the last year … as yet I have no evidence that Mr Danczuk has put in place any administrative system which will ensure that it does not [continue].”
She went on to question whether Matt Baker, the MP’s assistant who co-wrote Danczuk’s book, should have also registered payments he received as he had a Commons pass, even though he was in based in the constituency.She went on to question whether Matt Baker, the MP’s assistant who co-wrote Danczuk’s book, should have also registered payments he received as he had a Commons pass, even though he was in based in the constituency.
Hudson said: “The payments have not been registered. I have therefore asked the registrar to inquire whether the staff member had considered registering this payment and to report the outcome to me.”Hudson said: “The payments have not been registered. I have therefore asked the registrar to inquire whether the staff member had considered registering this payment and to report the outcome to me.”
When contacted by the Guardian, Danczuk said he accepted the committee’s verdict. “It was down to poor administration in my office and a change of personnel,” he said. “This meant I did not make timely registration. I have learnt a lesson in this and I will be more rigorous in the future. I will also be talking to Matt [Baker] about how to register his interests.”When contacted by the Guardian, Danczuk said he accepted the committee’s verdict. “It was down to poor administration in my office and a change of personnel,” he said. “This meant I did not make timely registration. I have learnt a lesson in this and I will be more rigorous in the future. I will also be talking to Matt [Baker] about how to register his interests.”
Baker said he had “spoken to the [authorities] and I have not broken any rules as I have not been advantaged in any way by being a pass holder”.Baker said he had “spoken to the [authorities] and I have not broken any rules as I have not been advantaged in any way by being a pass holder”.
• This article was amended on 23 March 2015 to clarify a sentence about Simon Danczuk’s campaign about uncovering sexual abuse.