Comment: The Danczuk's 'media circus' called into question

Karen and Simon Danczuk

The motivation behind Karen Danczuk's recent frenzy of media appearances supporting her ex husband, Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, is being called into question.

Appearing on ITV's Loose Women defending Mr Danczuk sending sex messages to a 17-year-old, Mrs Danczuk did the beleagured MP no favours when she said she was going to "take control" of his life, a scenario that has attracted much ridicule.

It is understood Mr Danczuk is still paying the mortgage on the former bungalow he shared with Mrs Danczuk and their boys before their divorce and the sizeable payments on her Range Rover - which cynics are suggesting may be the real motivation behind her apparent volte-face from preparing to hang Mr Danczuk out to dry to declaring she will soon be wiping the egg off his chin just five minutes after they divorced.

Mrs Danczuk followed up her TV appearance with an interview on Revolution Radio in which she was allowed to make a series of extraordinary claims, including that local business people are backing Mr Danczuk, a claim that does not stand up to even cursory scrutiny, a quick call round a number of local business owners revealed no support for Mr Danczuk, only a mix of incredulity and despair.

In her radio interview Mrs Danczuk also made the unlikely claim that the Chief Executive of Rochdale Borough Council, Steve Rumbelow, was "backing Mr Danczuk 100%" - by law, senior council staff are not allowed to participate in any party political activity.

Mrs Danczuk added the same claim about the leader of the council, Councillor Richard Farnell, a more plausible claim given the close personal friendship between Mr Danczuk and Councillor Farnell. However, it is understood that at a local Labour party meeting this week Councillor Farnell categorically denied issuing a statement backing Mr Danczuk. 

Mrs Danczuk also claimed Mr Danczuk has the backing of councillors, however Councillor Chris Furlong, Labour party member for Hopwood and councillor for North Middleton, said: "As far as I am aware support has neither been asked for or given from the councillors and considering there is an internal party investigation into Mr Danczuk's behaviour to do so at this time as a councillor, leader or chief executive of Rochdale MBC would be reckless and could prejudice an independent investigation. Until the investigation is completed I personally will be giving no comment on Mr Danczuk."

In the meantime, Mr Danczuk's own attempt to salvage his severely tarnished reputation via a flurry of interviews hit the buffers on Newsnight when he was challenged 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.

To make matters much worse, answering questions about his 'sexting' of a 17-year-old girl, Mr Danczuk raised eyebrows by repeating "I prefer young women!"