Simon Danczuk accused of "profiting from his own sleaze"

Simon Danczuk

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk was paid £6,000 by The Sun for an article in which he explained he sent sex messages to a 17-year-old girl because he was "drunk and horny", adding "younger women" are his "Achilles heel".

Register of Members' Financial Interests
Danczuk, Simon (Rochdale)
3 February 2016, received £6,000 for articles I contributed to. Hours: 4 hrs. (Registered 04 February 2016)

Councillor Ashley Dearnley, leader of the Conservatives in Rochdale, said: "It is very unwise of Simon Danczuk, especially at this stage, to be receiving payments, and payments on such matters. It really isn't sensible of him."

Local resident Liz Thirsk said: "This just goes to show that the man has got no shame whatsoever. He thinks he is above everyone, and he thinks he is above the law. It's about time he understood that he isn't."

Mr Danczuk was, and remains, suspended by the Labour party after details of the sex messages the 49-year-old MP sent to the 17-year-old young girl were published.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/100150/simon-danczuk-suspended-from-the-labour-party/

A local Labour party member, who asked not to be named, said: "Why does he do it? He must understand that this will be perceived as 'profiting from his own sleaze'."

A spokesman for Simon Danczuk's office said: “Long before this story broke, Simon had already agreed to give an in-depth end-of-year interview about what had been a turbulent 12 months for him personally and politically.

“Simon does a lot of media work, the vast majority of which is unpaid, but on some occasions he does receive a payment. He always follows Parliamentary rules and declares these payments from outside bodies in full."

It is not the first time Mr Danczuk has been criticised for profiting in a way others think is wrong of an MP.

BBC Newsnight interviewer Nick Hopkins challenged Mr Danczuk over payments he has been receiving from a photographic agency for tipping them off about his movements so they could arrange photographers to be present, then sell the photos on to tabloid newspapers and give Mr Danczuk a cut.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/100222/newsnight-call-simon-danczuk-out-on-photo-moneymaking-scheme