Danczuk tells of ‘death threats’

EX-ROCHDALE MP Simon Danczuk says he would have done better in the by-election for his old seat if he had not faced ‘death threats’ and intimidation during his campaign.

The Reform UK candidate, who came sixth, said he spent half his campaign dealing with threats.

Mr Danczuk, who said he was a ‘serious contender’ in the 11-man race, claims that the election was not ‘free and fair’ because of the threats he and his team faced.

The former Labour MP said that he and those close to him were ‘deliberately’ intimidated during the four-week campaign. He revealed that his campaign team had to relocate due to threats they received and employ security guards, which was ‘inconvenient’.

Mr Danczuk arrived at the election count in the early hours of Friday with his wife Claudine Uwamahoro (pictured together) and Reform UK leader Richard Tice. The candidate did not speak to reporters on the night, but Mr Tice made serious allegations when speaking to the media.

According to Reform UK, Mr Danczuk and his campaign team had received death threats, suffered ‘vile racist abuse’ and had been subject to ‘daily intimidation and slurs’. The pair left the by-election count before the results were declared and did not return.

Speaking on Friday, Mr Danczuk said the death threats had to be taken seriously following the murder of two MPS over the last eight years. Asked what needs to change, the Reform UK candidate said: “We need to create a British democracy that avoids threats and intimidation.

“This isn’t free and fair elections if a candidate has experienced what I’ve experienced in this by-election.

“If anybody thinks that that is just the cut and thrust of doing politics in Britain today, I think there’s something wrong with them.”

Earlier in the week, a man was arrested over an alleged ‘online threat’ to Mr Danczuk. In another incident, the party claimed business supporters were threatened with a firebomb attack if they distributed leaflets.