MP Simon Danczuk blasts Labour’s ‘double standards’ for suspending him as Keith Vaz lands plum job
FURIOUS MP Simon Danczuk has blasted Labour chiefs for suspending him while taking no action against police drugs probe colleague Keith Vaz.
Sex-texter Danczuk, 50, cried “double standards” after rent-boy shame Vaz was permitted to remain at his desk.
It was alleged that Vaz, 60, offered to buy cocaine for gay escorts. Danczuk, who admitted exchanging messages with a teenage girl, said cops decided neither had committed an offence.
Yet he says while he remains in limbo a year later, Vaz has landed a plum Parliamentary Justice Committee job.
Danczuk said: “Keith’s private life is his own, just like mine is my own. As long as it’s legal, safe and consensual, it’s fine by me.
“But it’s not right Keith was judged by different standards.
“Labour is supposed to stand for fairness, equality and justice. I can’t say I believe that any more.
“If the party wants people to believe it’s fair and just, it can’t keep lecturing on equality, while admitting that some MPs are more equal than others.”
What lies behind this double standard?
By SIMON DANCZUK, MP for Rochdale
LABOUR is supposed to stand for fairness, equality and justice.
But, hand on heart; I can’t say I believe that anymore.
I’m a sitting Labour MP – and more than a year ago I made a terrible mistake.
It was late at night. I was single, restless and alone. My phone lit up. Unexpectedly, I got a flurry of messages of a sexual nature.
Tired and stressed, I made an error I deeply regret: I replied.
Soon after, my world was falling apart. I was on the front page of the newspaper and had joined the ranks of MPs condemned for sex scandals – despite the fact I’d never even met the person in question, and I was single.
The police said no laws had been broken and I apologised unreservedly to everyone. I held up my hands straight away. I’ve never been one to hide or make excuses.
After speaking with party bosses they immediately suspended me.
They have kept me in limbo ever since. Over a year later, despite senior party officials recommending I should return, I remain suspended.
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Now, some would say I deserve this. But compare my situation to the curious case of Keith Vaz.
Keith is a fellow Labour MP. He’s always been decent to me and I get on with him.
Last summer he was caught having sex with male prostitutes.
He lied to his rent boys, telling them he was an industrial washing machine salesman.
While married, he paid them for sex and offered to cover the cost of cocaine.
Just as in my case, the police decided Keith had not broken the law. But unlike me, Keith was allowed to stay in the Labour Party.
He was never suspended or even investigated.
In fact, he got a plum job on the Parliamentary Justice Select Committee.
Keith’s private life is his own, just like mine is my own. As long as it’s legal, safe and consensual, it’s fine by me.
But it’s not right that Keith was judged by different standards.
When I made my error of judgement, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “We are concerned about things like this and that’s why it should be investigated. We expect the highest standards from our MPs.”
When Keith Vaz was caught with gay prostitutes, Jeremy said: “It should be treated as a private matter… he hasn’t committed any crime.”
What lies behind this double standard?
It can only be because I’ve publicly questioned Jeremy’s leadership.
Surely a party that believes in fairness, equality and justice wouldn’t make a petty political point by playing with my career?
What about letting down a constituency of loyal voters?
I’ve only ever said what I think is right for hardworking people.
It’s normal to have views which differ with the party leadership on some issues.
As Jeremy himself has said, the Labour Party is a broad church, and that is the kind of party I loved.
I’ve held my counsel for a year on this topic, but enough is enough.
If the Labour Party wants people to believe it’s fair and just, it can’t keep lecturing on equality, while admitting that some MPs are more equal than others.