Blackballing the Busybodies

by Les May

I’M sure that the good people of Rossendale will sleep easier in their beds knowing that judgement has been given and they have permission to continue with having a ‘blacked up’ face amongst their local street dance troupe.  But as I have suggested elsewhere this part of the tradition may have nothing whatsoever to do with coal mining.  So does this change anything?

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=1043332942481206469&postID=5262991119134861655&bpli=1

The answer would seem to be ‘No’.  Clearly the writer of this comment realises that context and intent have to be borne in mind. It’s the same ‘blacked up’ face whether it relates to coal mining in the area or to Pace Egg street plays.  Only the context has changed. As for intention, no-one has suggested that in either context the intention is to denigrate another group. My recollection of watching the Rochdale Pace Egg on seven occasions is that it presented the ‘Moorish’ Prince as a brave and noble character.

So it seems that what we are left with is that the complainers are just busybodies who think that their perception and interpretation is all that matters; that we must accept the meaning they give to actions and events. Anyone who has followed Donald Trump’s long term detachment from reality will be able to see the dangers in this.

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Our Celebration of the Britannia Coconut Dancers!

Bacup Nutters

NORTHERN VOICES support for the Bacup Nutters stretches back to a 4-page article in the print edition of NV number 9 (Summer 2008) celebrating the incredible story of dancer Stanley Wainwright.  The tale concluded with a short verse;

Let's 'ave a Nutters statue in town centre

With fountain gushin' under his feet

Dancing on top of the watter

An' lit up every neet

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Danczuk's Office Denies Photo Scam!

A denial was issued by the office of the suspended Rochdale MP, Simon Danczuk, in a letter  in tomorrow's Rochdale Observer to charges in a letter last week that Mr. Danczuk 'received ... payments'  from The Sun newspaper for 'photographs relating to his (Mr. Danczuk's) private life'.  The letter in the Ob. from MR. Danczuk's office warned the local Liberal Democrat leader, Andy Kelly, 'to think more carefully in future before making such unfounded allegations'. 
The letter goes on further to say:
'It is categorically untrue to suggest that Mr. Danczuk profited from photographs taken of him entering Rossendale police station in January this year.  To suggest that Mr. Danczuk arranged for these photos to be taken is both fanciful and utterly irresponsible.'
The Danczuk Rochdale office team, in their letter, furthermore chide Andy Kelly, and the Rochdale Liberal Democrats declaring in a suitably righteous tone:
'Mr. Danczuk has a right to a private life and finds it regrettable that the tabloid press saw fit to run an article that was in no way in the public interest.  It is even more regrettable that the Rochdale Lib Dems have sought to exploit this story for cheap political points rather than engaging in serious debate about our town.'
Now then!  Where did I read this kind of talk before?  Wasn't in Cyril Smith's autobiography 'BIG CYRIL', where he wrote, pondering the plight of Jeremy Thorpe, that all politicians 'have skeltons in the cupboard'?

Police Quiz M.P. Over Alleged Rape

SIMON DANCZUK, the controversial suspended Labour M.P. for Rochdale, was yesterday interviewed under a police caution at Rossendale police station over an allegation of rape.

 Yesterday, a Lancashire Constabulary spokesperson said:

'A 49 year old man from Greater Manchester has today (Tuesday, January 12th) voluntarily attended a police station in Lancashire where he was spoken to following an allegation of rape.  The man attended by prior appointment and was not arrested. He was interviewed under caution.'

 Mr. Danczuk vigorously denies the claim of rape which dates back to 2006.  The interview under caution is in response to a complaint made by his first wife Sonia Rossington, aged 39, to the Lancashire Constabulary on January 4th, 2016.

 A spokesperson for the Lancashire police said:

'Inquiries are on-going.  We take all allegations of a sexual nature extremely seriously and understand how difficult it can be for victims to have the confidence to come forward.'

 Photos of Simon Danczuk entering and leaving the Rossendale police station, dressed in a black Crombie overcoat with matching shoes and blue suit and tie, and accompanied by a woman carrying a file, were circulated in the media.