Shamed MP Simon Danczuk is standing as Reform candidate after remarrying in wake of split from Karen Danczuk
FORMER Labour MP Simon Danczuk is standing as the Reform Party’s candidate in the Rochdale byelection.
He is the first famous politician to defect to the party, which was founded by Nigel Farage and is led by Richard Tice.
Mr Danczuk, 57, was the Labour MP for Rochdale from 2010 until 2017, and helped expose the grooming gang scandal.
He told The Sun: “The Labour Party is just focused on the North London view of things now.
“They have gone from work to woke.
“I was traditional Labour. It meant standing up for people who were working, getting people off benefits into work, reducing illegal immigration.
“Where is the Labour Party on all that now?”
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He said traditional Labour voters are deserting Sir Keir Starmer’s party.
“Rochdale has been taken for granted by Labour for too long”, he said.
The former MP was an outspoken critic of Jeremy Corbyn while still in Labour.
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He was suspended from the party and blocked from standing in 2017 after being caught sending explicit messages to a 17 year-old girl.
He apologised for the texting scandal, admitting it was inappropriate and stupid and declaring: “There is no fool like an old fool”.
The Rochdale byelection is expected to be one of the most toxic races for parliament ever.
George Galloway is standing and far-right nationalist Tommy Robinson is also considering running.
Community and racial tensions over the war in Gaza and the grooming scandals are expected to spill over - with political parties braced for intimidation and even violence.
Mr Danczuk used to be married to so-called selfie queen Karen Danczuk, but they separated in 2015.
He has recently married 28-year-old Rwandan beauty therapist Claudine Uwamahoro.