Labour MP for Rochdale suspended over alleged sexually explicit messages
Britain’s opposition Labour party has suspended its sitting MP, Simon Danczuk after he allegedly sent sexually explicit text messages to a teenage girl.
Danczuk reportedly sent the messages to 17-year-old Sophena Houlihan after she contacted him for a job in his constituency.
“When I first got in touch I never expected the messages to get so graphic. At the time I played along with it, but now I feel like he duped me. I was keen for a career in politics and he is a very high-profile MP and I was in awe of him,” Houlihan told the Sun.
The MP’s suspension was announced soon after the news broke out on Thursday. “The general secretary of the Labour party has today suspended Simon Danczuk’s membership of the party, pending an investigation into allegations published in the media today”, a Labour party spokesperson said.
Danczuk, who has been the Labour MP for Rochdale since 2010, is believed to be a prominent campaigner against child sexual exploitation. He played a key role in exposing his predecessor, Sir Cyril Smith, as a pedophile.
“Simon has had his membership of the party suspended. He will now be investigated by the national executive,” Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, said while on a visit to flood-hit York on Thursday.
Danczuk has apologized for the incident and said the Sun story was not entirely accurate. “My behavior was inappropriate & I apologize unreservedly to everyone I've let down. I was stupid & there's no fool like an old fool”, he tweeted upon the news of his suspension.
“I'm more saddened that this episode could overshadow the important work we're doing to help Rochdale & that's where my focus lies” the MP tweeted again.
Danczuk, who was widely praised for exposing Liberal MP Smith, was believed to have been in front row for criticizing Corbyn since his election as the Labour leader. He has also been criticized by party colleagues for his negative views on immigration.
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