Labour MP suspended after allegedly ‘hitting constituent’ on night out

Mike Amesbury loses party whip after CCTV appears to show him knocking man to ground

A Labour MP has been suspended after appearing to repeatedly hit a constituent on a night out.
Mike Amesbury had the whip removed and his Labour membership revoked after CCTV footage appeared to show him knock a man to the ground and hit him several times.
There were immediate calls for a by-election in Mr Amesbury’s Cheshire constituency, while he risked accusations of hypocrisy because he previously demanded tough sentences for rioters and people who assaulted shop staff.
A Conservative Party spokesman said Mr Amesbury had “questions to answer about his actions”, and it was right the matter was “thoroughly investigated”.
Reform UK went further, calling for the MP to “do the honourable thing and resign immediately” so a by-election could be held in his seat.
A party spokesman described the CCTV footage as “damning”, adding: “No matter what verbal exchanges happened before, it’s never acceptable for anyone to resort to violence to solve a dispute, let alone a sitting member of Parliament.
“It’s quite clear that the people of Runcorn and Helsby deserve far better than this.”
Mr Amesbury’s suspension came hours after footage of the alleged attack was released online.
Labour initially claimed that the alleged assault, which happened in the early hours of Saturday morning, was a “matter for the police”.
But the party changed course amid mounting calls for Mr Amesbury, 55, to be suspended on Sunday, with Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform UK, claiming a refusal to act would be an example of “two-tier justice”.
Cheshire police confirmed on Sunday evening that a 55-year-old man had been “voluntarily interviewed under caution” in relation to the incident and released pending further enquiries.
The incident threatens a fresh headache for Sir Keir Starmer, who has been fiercely critical of people who take violence onto the streets.
The former director of public prosecutions was scathing about the riots over the summer, which he described as “intolerable”, vowing to do “whatever it takes to bring these thugs to justice”.
Mr Amesbury himself has repeatedly demanded tough sentences for violent crime. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, in August, he said “thugs and criminals” involved in the Southport riots should expect up to a decade in prison.
He also led a debate on retail workers being assaulted in 2020, saying: “Anyone who is assaulted deserves to be protected by the law…
“What is more, despite ample evidence, some cases are not being prosecuted, even when there is clear video footage of an assault.”
Last year, the MP called for Dominic Raab to be sacked from the Cabinet for bullying over allegations that included throwing tomatoes across a room.
On Sunday afternoon, a Labour Party spokesman said: “Mike Amesbury MP has been assisting Cheshire police with their inquiries following an incident on Friday night.
Raab had to go. But the PM should have sacked him instead of letting him resign. After 13 years people are utterly fed up of the antics of this government. It’s time for a change #Raab https://t.co/GhWqyMvkBk
“As these inquiries are now ongoing, the Labour Party has administratively suspended Mr Amesbury’s membership of the Labour Party pending an investigation.”
CCTV obtained by MailOnline appeared to show Mr Amesbury knocking a man down with a single punch before hitting him repeatedly as he crouched on the ground.
In a separate video shared on social media on Saturday, he appeared to point his finger at the man and say: “You won’t ever threaten me again, will you?”
In response to that footage, the MP claimed he was “threatened on the street” following a night out with friends in his constituency.
He said he would “co-operate with any inquiries” but was “determined to remain an open and accessible MP for our community”.
In a statement on Saturday, he said: “Last night, I was involved in an incident that took place after I felt threatened on the street following an evening out with friends.
“This morning, I contacted Cheshire police myself to report what happened during the incident.
“I will not be making further public comment but will, of course, co-operate with any inquiries if required by Cheshire police.
“I remain fully committed to working hard for the people of Runcorn and Helsby, and am determined to remain an open and accessible MP for our community.”
In a round of interviews on Sunday morning, Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, said the initial footage circulating on social media was a “matter for the police”.
Asked whether the Labour Party was investigating, she told Sky’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “Mike Amesbury, who’s the MP in question, has gone forward to the police.
“He is co-operating with any investigation they would want to take forward. It is a matter for the police and we want to allow them to do that work.”
But the Labour Party came under increasing pressure to take action as the day went on, with the CCTV footage that emerged on Sunday afternoon triggering a fierce backlash from MPs.
Mr Tice, the Reform MP, told The Telegraph that a failure to suspend Mr Amesbury would be an example of “two-tier justice”, in an apparent reference to Sir Keir’s response to the far-Rights riots and counter-protests over the summer.
Greg Smith, the Tory MP for Mid Buckinghamshire, said: “If this was a Conservative MP, there would be howls of outrage calling for immediate whip withdrawal. Needs to be the same for Labour.”
For the thugs and criminals, see what to expect below 👇 https://t.co/SxLSDzYJ5l
Dehenna Davison, the former Tory MP whose father was killed by a single punch when she was 13, said: “If I was leading a party and one of my MPs did this, they would already be suspended.
“It’s important the police investigation is carried out but Labour need to think about the example their MPs set.”
In a separate statement on X, Ms Davison, who campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers one punch can cause, said: “My own dad died instantly from a single punch, and we have worked with countless families who have lost loved ones through these mindless acts.
“A split-second decision can end and ruin lives.
“Such violence – whatever the background to the altercation – is never and should never be justified. People in positions of responsibility always need to remember that their actions set an example.
“In democracies, we settle disputes with words, not with violence. Thuggish, violent behaviour is not the example any MP should be setting.”
Robert Jenrick, the Tory leadership candidate, also commented on the incident, writing on X: “Labour’s promised to ‘smash the gangs’. Looks like they’re now smashing their constituents instead.”
Within hours of the CCTV footage emerging, Labour confirmed it had administratively suspended Mr Amesbury from the party, pending an investigation.
This has the effect of removing the whip in the House of Commons, meaning he will sit an as independent MP while inquiries are carried out.
A spokesman for Cheshire police said: “A 55-year-old man has been voluntarily interviewed under caution by police in relation to this incident. He has since been released pending further enquiries.”