Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk 'sent sexually explicit text messages to 17-year-old girl'

The MP's requests to meet the girl and take her on holiday to Spain were rebuffed

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk (Getty)

Labour MP Simon Danczuk allegedly exchanged a number of sexually explicit text messages with a 17-year-old girl, it has been reported.

Mr Danczuk, who is 49, sent the messages to Sophena Houlihan after she asked him for a job, according to a report in The Sun newspaper.

The newspaper reports that in the course of a series of what appear to be flirtatious texts between the two, the MP asked the girl if she wanted “spanking” and explained that he was “horny”.

She also sent him a number of sexually-charged text messages.

“When I first got in touch I never expected the messages to get so graphic,” the 17-year-old told the newspaper.

“At the time I played along with it, but now I feel like he duped me. I was keen for a career in politics and he is a very high-profile MP and I was in awe of him.”

Mr Danczuk allegedly asked Ms Houlihan to meet at the Labour party conference and reportedly suggested that she join him on a trip to Spain.

The Sun reports that she turned him down and the pair never met in person. There is no suggestion that Mr Danczuk has broken any law.

Mr Danczuk prominently led a campaign to expose his predecessor as Rochdale MP, Sir Cyril Smith, as a paedophile.

The age of consent is 16 years old in the United Kingdom.

The Sexual Offences Act 2003 however defines the age of consent as 18 when a person is “in a position of trust” over someone else.

The law defines this as including someone who is regularly involved in training, supervising or being in sole charge of a person under 18.

Mr Danczuk has been an outspoken critic of the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn in recent months.

The Independent has attempted to contact Mr Danczuk for comment but has not yet received a response.