Murphy hits the Spanish headlines!

Councillor David Murphy threatening David Hennigan in Rochdale Town Hall

Politics in Rochdale continues to be a laughing stock after controversial Councillor David Murphy hit the headlines in the Spanish press. Councillor Murphy featured in the Tenerife News, the paper used the headline: “Rochdale’s costa councillor carries on laughing!” Councillor Murphy has been living for months in Murcia, Spain.

The article claimed that Councillor Murphy is "…making a monkey out of local taxpayers".

Councillor Murphy lost his Labour Whip in April, but he arrived back for the 15-minute Mayor-making ceremony last month ensuring that he could remain on the Council for six more months. The Lib Dems claimed though that the red carpet was rolled out for him and that he was ‘welcomed back like a prodigal son’ by the locla Labour Party.

Lib Dem Heywood & Middleton Parliamentary Candidate, Councillor Wera Hobhouse said: “If all the local publicity is not enough, now the Spanish press have picked up on this shameful story. David Murphy should take stock and resign, he is in it for the money and there is nothing we can do about it. I am in favour of stopping his allowances to force him to resign – I don’t know if this is possible and I will be investigating. Politics in Rochdale has taken a lot of hits lately and this is the latest; it’s no wonder people’s faith in politics is at an all-time low.

"I hope that the ex-pat community in Spain read this story and encourage him to do the honourable thing.

"Labour have been quiet on this issue because they know that they can rely on his vote.

"A clue to Labour’s attitude to their continental councillor can be found in Mayor Robin Parker’s comments last year when reflecting on the Middleton North by-election: 'We looked up and there was Murph, who’d been working like a trojan all day, clicking a pair of castanets in a victory celebration. Buenas noches'.”