Simon Danczuk wins Contrarian Prize

Simon Danczuk with his Contrarian award accompanied by Jonathan Dimbleby and Ali Miraj

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk has won the Contrarian Prize – an award that aims to recognise individuals in British Public Life that demonstrate independence of thought, courage and conviction in their actions, make a sacrifice and who have an impact on public debate.

Mr Danczuk picked up his award from Jonathan Dimbleby at a ceremony in Piccadilly tonight (Thursday 18 June).

Speaking to Rochdale Online after receiving his award, Mr Danczuk said: "It's a very proud moment for me picking up this award and it's a real honour to be seen as following in the contrarian tradition.

"Speaking truth to power is what people want policitcians to do, but I've only been able to do this because of the courage of survivors of sexual abuse who told me their story and wanted the truth to be known. I dedicate this award to them and I know they've not only inspired me but many others who continue to campaign to bring perpetrators to justice."

Mr Danczuk co-authored ‘Smile for the Camera: The Double Life of Cyril Smith,’ a book in which he alludes to the fact that Smith could not have acted alone and that he must have been protected by a wider group.

The book went on to be named as the Sunday Times Political Book of the Year and was shortlisted for Political Book of the Year.

Mr Danczuk has also led the way in calling for a wide-ranging public inquiry into child sexual exploitation, after nine men were convicted for grooming and abusing children in Rochdale and Heywood.

For his endless campaign work around child sexual exploitation, he was named as Campaigner of the Year in 2014 by the Political Studies Association.

Mr Danczuk was up against Craig Murray, a former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, author and human rights activist, Ed Hussain, a former Islamist radical, author and Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations, Nevres Kemal, a social worker and founder of a charity that supports whistleblowers and George Galloway, a politician, broadcaster and writer.