Protesters want 'Simon Danczuk out’

Protester outside Simon Danczuk's office

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Protesters gathered outside of Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk’s office to let them know that they ‘want him out.’

The protest was organised following news that broke last week that Mr Danczuk had been 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

Speaking at the protest, organiser Liz Thirsk said: “This has been organised simply because of the news that Simon was sending sex messages to a 17-year-old girl. He knew she was seventeen. This is how young people get groomed online and he should have known better. He is not fit to be our MP any longer and it is about time he did the right thing and left.”

Protesters met at 11am before making their way through the town to spread their message.

Councillor Shefali Ahmed, who attended the protest, said: “It is very clear that people want Simon Danczuk out as their MP. He has brought more negative news to this town and people have had enough. People of all faiths and communities have come together for the same reason.

"He should resign because he has brought the town into disrepute, public office into disrepute and the Labour Party into disrepute. It is time he went.”

Protester Les May said: “I would like him to resign now because this is a step too far.”

Glynis Coats said: “Simon Danczuk is not fit to be an MP and is not fit to represent Rochdale. I want him thrown out and I hope the seven people who were expelled from the Labour Party in 2009 because of him get a full pardon because that will then show that they were right about him.”

Eileen Cummings, whose husband Mick was one of the seven party members expelled in 2009, said: “If Mick were still alive then he would be stood here with me today supporting the protest. Simon Danczuk is a poor excuse for an MP and I think it’s time he goes.

“I always ask myself one question about his Child Sexual Exploitation investigations, whether he did it for himself or for the good of the town and I think now the answer is that he did it for himself.”

One protester who only wanted to be known as Steve, said: “I am appalled by his behaviour and I am of no political persuasion whatsoever. If he had any decency he would resign, but I don’t think that will happen.”

Mr Danczuk said: "This protest has been organised by my political opponents who have formed a bizarre alliance in an attempt to use problems in my personal life as an excuse to try and intimidate me into resigning.

"This is a group made up of former Lib Dem councillors and the far left. There has even been a suggestion that Momentum members have invited the North West branch of the EDL to take part today.

"I will not be harassed out of office just because, like many other people, I have made some mistakes.

"It is not up to an opportunistic and politically motivated mob to determine who the MP for Rochdale should be. It is for local people to decide who represents them in Parliament and I will be spending today out and about in Rochdale talking to my constituents."

A spokesperson for the local Momentum branch said: "We had no part of any organising of today’s demonstration against Simon Danczuk. In fact, the first we knew about it was when it was advertised on a local UKIP supporter’s account which we then screenshot and re-tweeted. The EDL picked it up and implied we had organised it, so we corrected them in a reply tweet.

"We don’t believe it would be correct of us to comment on the current investigation into Simon Danczuk by the Labour Party at this time and trust the Labour Part National Executive Committee will make the right decision for Rochdale and its residents."