Labour MP Danczuk investigated over rape allegation

Simon Danczuk is being investigated by police over a rape allegation, Sky News understands.

Last week, he was suspended by the Labour Party after he admitted sending lewd texts to a 17-year-old girl.

Responding to the claims, the MP for Rochdale said: “These claims are malicious, untrue and extremely upsetting”.

He was confident his name would be cleared.

Yet shoppers in the town centre stopped to offer their support to Danczuk, 49, as we joined him during his two-hour walkabout to grovel to constituents yesterday.

He said he struggled with depression after the split, and “turned to drink to help me through it”. I think there was a bit of jealousy.

“I’m concerned that he may prejudice the investigation but we’ll have to wait and see – I think he should stay well away from it”, he said.

Mr Danczuk claimed the criticism he was facing contrasted with the treatment given to London mayor Boris Johnson’s “colourful” personal life.

“In terms of feedback I’m humbled by the fact that, Rochdale people feel the way they do in terms of the work I do for Rochdale and they want me to continue to work for them”.

He apologised to the victims “I worked hard to help”, and added: “It’s a great privilege to represent Rochdale people. They judge me on my performance”.

Under-fire MP Simon Danczuk claimed his personal troubles were being exploited by a Corbyn-backed campaign group to have him deselected.

He added: “The Labour Party is carrying out an investigation into these allegations, quite rightly and understandably, and I am quietly confident that they will conclude that I should remain a member of the Labour Party”.

A disciplinary investigation by the Labour party into the MP’s conduct is likely to be put on hold after a spokesman for Lancashire police said: “We can confirm that we have received a report of a rape dating back to 2006”.

“He has a daughter not much younger than the girl he wants to “spank”, and his 18-year-old son has enough problems at university due to sharing the Danczuk name”.

This evening, the MP has also admitted receiving £1,100 from a photographic agency that sells pictures of him to tabloid newspapers and magazines.

In a unusual turn of events the one person who has come out to stand in his defence is his estranged second wife Karen Danczuk, who is appalled by the “kiss and tell” stories that have surfaced about him.