"Simon Dan-kerching coining it in again", says friend turned critic

Photo: Journeaux

Simon Danczuk

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk charged £5,000 for an interview with The Sun in which he discussed the sex messages he had sent to 17-year-old Sophena Houlihan, The Guardian has revealed.

The Guardian says the revelation will see Mr Danczuk – who was suspended by the Labour party over claims he acted inappropriately towards Miss Houlihan – "open to further charges that he has been seeking to profit from his growing notoriety".

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jan/09/simon-danczuk-5000-sun-on-sunday-interview

Local reaction has been swift and scathing.

Paul Mitchell, formerly a friend of Mr Danczuk's turned fierce critic, said: "Simon Dan-kerching is coining it in again only this time using his self-confessed 'inappropriate' sex messages to a 17-year-old girl to line his pockets."

Former Rochdale councillor Liz Thirsk said: "The Danczuk gravy train rolls on, this time profiting out of his own sordid behaviour. It really is totally unbecoming of the privileged role of an MP for him to be pimping himself out to a tabloid newspaper in this way. He is already paid handsomely for representing the people of Rochdale and it is high time he decided which he wants to do, pimp himself to tabloids or be Rochdale's MP. I, like many, would much prefer he resigned."

When The Guardian asked Mr Danczuk about the Sun payment, they report he said: “I am not talking to the press.”

Mr Mitchell said: "Of course not, The Guardian, quite rightly, refuses to pay MPs for access, and Dan-kerching wants his palm crossing with silver to even get out of bed."

On Monday, BBC Newsnight revealed that Mr Danczuk had received £1,100 from a photo 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. Pressed by interviewer Nick Hopkins that such an arrangment was "wrong", he refused to apologise. “I don’t think it’s wrong at all actually,” he said.

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