'Expenses cheat Simon Danczuk now using taxpayers' cash to pay ex-wife Karen to work for him'

Karen and Simon Danczuk

In an article entitled 'Expenses cheat Simon Danczuk now using taxpayers' cash to pay ex-wife Karen to work for him', The Sun revealed that Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk is re-employing his ex-wife, Karen, in his constituency office and local reaction has been scathing with the pair being branded “freeloaders”.

The Sun quotes a local Labour source saying “this will be seen as fleecing the taxpayer yet again” and the pair “are already seen locally as freeloaders out for themselves”.

They added: “The response on the doorstep in Rochdale in the run-up to May’s local elections is dire and the number one issue on the doorstep is ‘The f***ing Danczuks’.”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/7088125/Simon-Danczuk-using-taxpayers-cash-to-hire-ex-wife-Karen-Danczuk-to-work-in-his-office.html

Rochdale Lib Dem Leader Councillor Andy Kelly is calling for the Danczuks to finally end the "media circus that continues to drag the town down". Councillor Kelly said: "I am quite frankly flabbergasted at this news. It is an absolute disgrace. I thought the Danczuk's couldn't stoop any lower. It appears that they can. They are sticking two fingers up at Rochdale people and it's completely unacceptable. It's time for Simon to go.

"Whilst campaigning for the local elections, all people want to talk about is the Danczuks and these are not positive conversations. They are a disgrace and an embarrassment to Rochdale."

However, Councillor Ashley Dearnley, Conservative Group Leader, refused to condemn the Danczuks, he said: "It is not for me to say who an MP should or should not employ.

"It is after all public money and all information is in the public domain.

"Rochdale people are the ones who will best judge if this is a wise decision or not."

Whilst there is no 'rule' that MPs should advertise positions, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) publishes guidance that advises MPs to: 'Advertise the vacancy and conduct appropriate assessments to ensure you have the best candidate for the role'.

Mr Danczuk did not advertise the position. Asked why he had given a taxpayer funded job to Mrs Danczuk without advertising the role and conducting interviews, a spokesman for Mr Danczuk said: “Karen brings a significant level of knowledge and experience to this vital role.”

Dave Hennigan, who reported Mr Danczuk to both IPSA and the police over his expense claims, said: "There are thousands of people in Rochdale who would jump at the chance to earn £12,000 for half a week's work."

Mr Danczuk previously employed Mrs Danczuk (before they seperated and divorced) and as well as working in Mr Danczuk's constituency office, the multitasking mother to two young children was at the time a local councillor and also ran the now defunct Danczuk's Deli in Rochdale town centre.

The pair were embroiled in controversy when it was revealed that Mr Danczuk had paid his then wife a total of 621 hours overtime on top of her salary - the highest of any MP - and the overtime was paid at time and a half.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/99129/the-danczuks-go-bananas-with-overtime-payments

Mrs Danczuk added fuel to the fire when she was accused of profiting from this latest in a very long line of Danczuk controversies - pictures from celebrity photo agency 'iCelebTV Pictures' accompanied The Sun's article showing Mrs Danczuk arriving at Mr Danczuk's office and Mr Hennighan says it appears that Mrs Danczuk actually tipped off the agency, "making yet more cash from the paparazzi".

Councillor Andy Kelly said: "An MP's office should be a place where the most vulnerable can seek help, not a place where an MP's staff can whore out snaps to the highest bidder. This is a disgraceful attempt to continue to make money from their notoriety."

Mr Danczuk has previously been criticised for payments he received 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

Asked to comment, the spokesman for Mr Danczuk said: "This matter is nothing to do with the business of Simon Danczuk's constituency office."

Mrs Danczuk has not responded to an invitation to comment.

It was revealed earlier this week that Mr Danczuk has still not paid back the £11,000 in wrongly claimed expenses he was ordered to pay back by IPSA.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/101829/simon-danczuk-has-to-repay-more-than-%C2%A311000-in-expenses

Mr Danczuk is suspended from the Labour Party due to his sending sex messages to a 17-year-old girl.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/100146/simon-danczuk-sent-sex-messages-to-17yearold-local-girl-who-asked-him-for-a-job

He also remains under investigation by police over an accusation of rape which he denies and says is "malicious".

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/100379/simon-danczuk-interviewed-under-caution-over-rape-claim