Simon Danczuk, the Labour MP for Rochdale who on Christmas Eve marched to celebrate Muhammad’s birthday, has been suspended from his party after it emerged he has been sending lurid text messages to a 17-year-old-girl.
Mr. Danczuk, 49, allegedly sent the messages to Sophena Houlihan after she contacted him on Facebook looking for work experience in his constituency office.
He asked the performing arts student if she wanted a “spanking” and told her how “horny” he was in the messages.
Speaking to the Sun, she said last night:
“When I first got in touch I never expected the messages to get so graphic.
“At the time I played along with it, but now I feel like he duped me. I was keen for a career in politics and he is a very high-profile MP and I was in awe of him.”
The newspaper alleges that Mr. Danczuk asked Ms. Houlihan to meet at the Labour Party conference and suggested they go on a trip to Spain together. She turned him down, however, and there is no suggestion that Mr. Danczuk broke the law.
Ms. Houlihan admitted being “attracted” to the MP, flirting with him via text, and even sending him provocative pictures. However, she added:
“I could not believe what I was seeing when he first sent me a naughty message. I was shocked. He’s an MP and shouldn’t be behaving like that. He also had only just split up from Karen — and then he started dating Claire.”
The MP broke up with his “selfie queen” wife Karen Danczuk in June. It was reported that his new girlfriend, Claire Hamilton, dumped him after reading some of the messages.
Following the headlines, the Labour Party said in a statement this morning:
“The General Secretary of the Labour Party has today suspended Simon Danczuk’s membership of the Party, pending an investigation into allegations published in the media today. A full investigation will now take place under the authority of the National Executive Committee, which will be responsible for determining any further action.”
My behaviour was inappropriate & I apologise unreservedly to everyone I've let down. I was stupid & there's no fool like an old fool
— Simon Danczuk (@SimonDanczuk) December 31, 2015
Mr. Danczuk was handed the Campaigning MP of the Year award for prominently leading of the drive to expose his predecessor as Rochdale MP, Sir Cyril Smith, as a serial paedophile.
In March this year he warned of a “paedophile network” in Parliament and a “truly monumental cover up”.
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