29 Facts About Simon Danczuk

Simon Christopher Danczuk is a British author and former Member of Parliament who represented the constituency of Rochdale between 2010 and 2017.

Simon Danczuk has co-written two books, Smile for the Camera: The Double Life of Cyril Smith and Scandal at Dolphin Square.

Simon Danczuk was the Reform UK candidate in the 2024 Rochdale by-election, which was later won by Workers Party of Britain leader George Galloway.

Simon Danczuk came sixth behind Liberal Democrats, Labour, Conservatives and Independent candidate David Tully.

Simon Danczuk attended Gawthorpe School, now called Shuttleworth College in Burnley.

Simon Danczuk began his working life at the age of sixteen in a factory making gas fires, before moving to the chemical company ICI.

Simon Danczuk then gained a place as a mature student at Lancaster University, where he studied Economics, Politics and Sociology.

Simon Danczuk became involved in the Labour movement after joining the Labour Party through the GMB trade union in the late 1980s.

In 1999, Simon Danczuk became the founding director of a research, public affairs and communications consultancy called Vision Twentyone alongside Ruth Turner, who would later become Director of Government Relations within Tony Blair's Downing Street office.

Simon Danczuk held this position until his election to Parliament in 2010.

Simon Danczuk has held research positions at The Big Issue in the North, Opinion Research Corporation, Bolton Bury TEC and worked for academics at Lancaster University.

Simon Danczuk founded the Necessary Group, a campaign group of businessmen and politicians which campaigned prior to the expected referendums for an elected Regional Assembly for the North West of England.

Simon Danczuk was selected in early 2007 to be the Rochdale Labour Party's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate.

Simon Danczuk received death threats during the selection process, including a funeral wreath with flowers spelling 'Simon' and a four-foot cross being anonymously sent to his work office.

Simon Danczuk was first elected to Parliament in the 2010 general election.

Simon Danczuk unseated incumbent Liberal Democrat Paul Rowen and secured a majority of 889 votes.

Simon Danczuk won the seat for Labour despite a microphone picking up Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling Rochdale resident Gillian Duffy a "bigoted woman" on a visit to the constituency during the campaign.

Simon Danczuk was re-elected as the Labour MP for Rochdale at the 2015 general election, substantially increasing his majority from 889 to 12,442 over the second-placed UKIP candidate.

Simon Danczuk was critical of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership of the party following his election as leader on 12 September 2015.

Simon Danczuk was particularly active investigating historical allegations of child abuse against politicians.

Simon Danczuk's campaigning attracted significant media attention and as a result he was one of the most high-profile backbench MPs.

In February 2016, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority conducted an investigation into expenses claimed by Simon Danczuk, following several newspaper investigations and a complaint from the member of the public.

Simon Danczuk apologised for his behaviour, which he described as "inappropriate and stupid", and said the incident occurred during an extremely low point of his life after his second marriage had collapsed.

Simon Danczuk was not found to have broken the law and was not expelled from the party, but the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party ruled that he would not be endorsed as a Labour Party candidate for the snap 2017 United Kingdom general election.

Simon Danczuk resigned from the party in May 2017 and contested Rochdale as an independent candidate, finishing in fifth place.

In February 2024 Simon Danczuk announced that he had joined Reform UK three months prior and would be the Reform UK candidate for the 2024 Rochdale by-election.

Simon Danczuk came sixth with 6.3 per cent of the votes cast.

Simon Danczuk's party alleged that election was rigged and that Danczuk was threatened and subjected to "menacing behaviour".

Simon Danczuk has been married three times; his first two marriages ended in divorce, and he has two children each by his first and second wives.