At 56, disgraced ex-Labour MP reveals he is to marry beauty therapist, 28
A FORMER Labour MP once suspended by the party for sending sex texts to a 17-yearold girl has announced his engagement to a beauty therapist half his age.
Simon Danczuk, 56, proposed to Claudine Uwamahoro, 28, only seven months after they met in her home city of Kigali, Rwanda.
The former MP – who has been married twice – says Miss Uwamahoro is the ‘perfect woman’ and they are already planning a family, with her aware of his controversial past.
The father of four was the MP for Rochdale from 2010 to 2017 but was suspended by Labour in 2015 after he sent sex texts to the 17-year-old girl.
He escaped Commons sanctions but locals staged a demonstration calling on him to quit.
Mr Danczuk said publicly at the time: ‘There is no fool like an old fool.’ He added that he had been ‘stupid’ to sext the young drama student but claimed it was at ‘an extremely low point in my life’ after his split from his ‘selfie queen’ wife Karen.
He was married for three years to Karen Danczuk, 39, who earned her nickname for her revealing selfie pictures, which she posted frequently on social media sites.
Their marriage broke down in 2015 after it was reported that he had sex with a 22-year-old woman on his constituency office desk after meeting her days earlier on Twitter. He was later engaged to Charlene Meade, 19 years his junior, but she ended the relationship. Mr Danczuk was not endorsed as a Labour candidate for the 2017 general election but unsuccessfully contested Rochdale as an independent.
He met his latest love interest over drinks in a restaurant in March while he was in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, on business. Asked about their 28-year age gap, Mr Danczuk told the Sunday Mirror: ‘I’m not big on age. It’s just a number as far as I’m concerned, so it’s not a factor.
‘Claudine is a very mature and smart woman. I’ve found the perfect woman for me and I’m completely convinced we’ll be together for ever.
‘We’ve talked about my previous relationships to an extent, as you do, and we’re familiar with each other’s backgrounds. Claudine’s a very logical person and wanted to find out for herself what I was like, who I was.’
They stayed in touch after their first encounter, and met again when Mr Danczuk visited Rwanda in May. He proposed during his third visit to the East African country two weeks ago.
Miss Uwamahoro said: ‘Our relationship has grown over time. We are both very much in love. I was surprised but pleased by Simon’s proposal. Simon is easy to get on with. He’s had a lot of life experience.’
‘We’ll be together for ever’