Danczuk M.P.: Cancer in the Community

IN tomorrow's Rochdale Observer Les May has a letter drawing attention to Simon Danczuk's hypocritical support for the sale of tobacco, and comparing it with the chapter in Danczuk's book lampooning  Cyril Smith for championing a local asbestos  company in the 1970s and 80s.  Mr. Danczuk accepted hospitality to the value of £1,389 from Japanese Tobacco PLC in August 2011, after he had voted against the first reading of Alex Cunningham's Private Member's Bill banning smoking in cars carrying children in June 2011. 

In the Rochdale Observer, Les May writes:

'... I have no problem with an M.P. who votes according to his or her conscience, indeed I would expect no less.  But to accept hospitality to the value of £1,389 from a tobacco company in August of that year (2011), then in 2014 to co-author a book which devotes 25 pages to attacking Cyril Smith for his support of an asbestos company and a month after to accept hospitality to the value of £1,404 from the same company, I consider to be rank hypocrisy.'

Despite this evidence Mr. Danczuk, the M.P. for Rochdale, told the Rochdale Observer on the 21^st, February 2015, that 'he would not allow such hospitality to sway his voting and that he had supported the ban on smoking in cars  with children'.  He also added:  'that he takes a 'pragmatic' view on smoking as it is a 'pleasure that has been demonised in recent years'. 

Nor will he let it get in the way of his trips the Oval or the Chelsea Flower Show with Mrs. Danczuk.