Councillor Andy Kelly takes Simon Danczuk to task for recent criticism

Councillor Andy Kelly, Liberal Democrat, Milnrow & Newhey

Councillor Andy Kelly, Liberal Democrat councillor for Milnrow & Newhey, has responded to criticism of him by Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk. Councillor Kelly accuses Mr Danczuk of attacking him on "unspecified charges".

Mr Danczuk's latest Letter from Parliament (published on Rochdale Online last week) saw Mr Danczuk questioning what he called a "democratic loophole which has allowed local government candidates to unfairly outspend their opponents by thousands of pounds". He cited Councillor Kelly as he stood in both local and general elections in May this year.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/97498/simon-danczuk-letter-from-parliament

Councillor Kelly said: "At a time when the country is facing huge problems, I find it a real shame that Simon Danczuk chooses to devote the whole of his Letter From Parliament column to attacking me with unspecified charges. And at a time when his own party is ripping itself apart, he has nothing better to comment upon than this.

"However, Mr Danczuk says that I had an unfair advantage in running for Parliament on the same day as the council elections and yet four other candidates in the borough did this in May and I am the only one named. They did not get elected as councillors I may add.

"Not only is it allowable to stand in two elections, it's also perfectly permissible to win them both. Several Labour MPs have served in both Westminster and their Town Hall at the same time.

"Sitting MPs have many advantages over their opponents in general elections but I have never complained about these. One of these is the access to the local press they get with their weekly letter. Other MPs I have contacted say that they would never dream of using this privilege to attack an opponent and most of them said that the local paper wouldn't let them even if they did want to.

"However, that notwithstanding, it does not simply follow that if you throw money at an election you will win. My seat in Milnrow and Newhey was won by hard work and engagement and over a campaign that ran over the previous year and not just the month before the election. To say that having my standing in the general election won Milnrow and Newhey is an insult to voters in the ward who supported me because of hard work, commitment and a desire to change things for the better. And to imply that I had a war chest to do it with is simply laughable.

"All the money used to fund Lib Dem campaigns comes from within the party through donations and fundraising, we do not get financed by the trade unions as Labour do, or indeed through company or corporate donations. When he was first elected, Simon Danczuk had received substantial donations from the company he was Managing Director of and which duly closed down weeks after he was elected owing tens of thousands in unpaid taxes. If he wants to rewrite the law then maybe he should begin with that loophole."