Simon Danczuk’s Pal Abuses Critics

Rochdale’s nominally Labour MP Simon Danczuk does not, right now, need any more questionable behaviour to be dumped on his doorstep, but one of his closest political allies does not appear to have got the message: step forward Richard Farnell, leader of Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council and bosom buddy of the embattled Danczuk, who has been caught bang to rights breaking the law.

And it’s the same law that Danczuk himself was caught breaking not so long ago, as Zelo Street revealed at the time. Yes, both Danczuk and Farnell have been parking illegally, with the latter cutting up very rough indeed when his actions were caught on camera and put to him. He may be a little more considered about his responses now that the excellent people at Rochdale Online have splashed his actions all over their site.

Danczuk breaks the law, and guess what ...

Danczuk was caught dumping his Fiat 500 on a double yellow line, with the car only later being moved to a legal parking location by one of his staff. But at least the MP was not doing his al fresco parking on a busy main road, unlike his pal Farnell. The council leader, whose humble man of the people persona demands that he drive himself around in a less than totally modest Jaguar, just parked on a double yellow and left it there.

... so does his pal Richard Farnell

Local business champion Paul Mitchell, not the biggest fan of Danczuk and Farnell, Tweeted out the photo, showing a startled Farnell looking directly at the camera, and asked the obvious question “Are other shoppers allowed to park on double yellows? @UKLabour Leader of @RochdaleCouncil caught red handed.Ticket?”. One might have expected Farnell to at least be contrite, but he does not do contrite.

Instead, he went on the offensive, and with Farnell, that means very offensive indeed. “@PaulTMRetail @DavidLHennigan @RochdaleCouncil if ur stooge Hennigan took the pic from the front he'd have seen my blue badge. Plonkers!” Unfortunately for the ranting council leader, there were not only double yellow lines, but double kerb markings too, which means that not even blue badge holders can legally park there.

Dave Hennigan duly pointed out the relevant rule to Farnell, who remained on the offensive, and indeed doubled down as he ranted “@DavidLHennigan @Richardfarnell1 @PaulTMRetail @RochdaleCouncil who says so? You? No obstruction just a nasty turd trying to cause trouble”. Perhaps he’ll be a little more restrained with the nice people from Greater Manchester Police, who have been alerted to this incident.

Richard Farnell may have had his tail tweaked by Paul Mitchell and Dave Hennigan. That kind of thing goes with the territory. We are, as Neil Kinnock might have put it, talking about the leader of a Labour council - A Labour Council - abusing that council’s taxpayers, the people who pay for him to drive his Jaguar around in the comfort to which he has clearly become accustomed, and not thinking anything of it.

Like his pal Simon Danczuk, Richard Farnell is a disgrace to his party. He should resign.