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Mike Amesbury, suspended Labour MP

(137 Posts)
GrannyGravy13 Mon 24-Feb-25 13:07:43

The suspended Labour MP has been jailed for 10 weeks for punching man in the street.

No doubt he will be out in 4-5 weeks.

Anniebach Tue 25-Feb-25 10:27:32

Yes at the time of the offence he was a labour MP, the O/P
speaks of him as a Labour MP now , this can only mess he was
allowed to remain a Labour MP ,

RosieandherMaw Tue 25-Feb-25 10:15:12

Anniebach

He is an Independent MP

Third line from the end Anniebach
I understand he is now an Independent MP having had the Labour whip withdrawn, so at the time of the offence/crime he was still a Labour MP

Wyllow3 Tue 25-Feb-25 10:13:45

The Labour Party have made their position clear.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said she wants to see jailed MP Mike Amesbury resign or face recall so that his constituents can have new representation as soon as possible

"I want to see him either obviously resign or face recall, and so that we can have a new MP in place," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3d8x3v2re8o

They are not dragging heels to avoid by election.

Allira Tue 25-Feb-25 10:09:29

Iam64

Sarnia - the only way an mp can be ‘sacked’ is when their constituents act. Of course we hope his CLP is acting. Mine would be

As RosieandherMaw quoted

His constituents could vote to recall him, but only once any appeals have been exhausted.

That could take ten weeks or more ☹

Iam64 Tue 25-Feb-25 10:01:23

Sarnia - the only way an mp can be ‘sacked’ is when their constituents act. Of course we hope his CLP is acting. Mine would be

Wyllow3 Tue 25-Feb-25 09:49:28

I looked up the conditions for Recall and it seems the only way is a public petition, ie puts the decision in the hands of those the electorate in his constituency.

www.electoralcommission.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-05/Recall%20Act%20-%20initial%20factsheet%20-%20amended%20April%202021.pdfz

This article lists past MP's who were subject to calls for recall and why, but only 2 were, others resigned.

www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/uk-parliament-mps-boris-johnson-owen-paterson-parliament-b1140382.html

Anniebach Tue 25-Feb-25 08:53:12

He is an independent MP

Sarnia Tue 25-Feb-25 08:46:50

RosieandherMaw

This is ridiculous and makes me very angry
The suspended Labour MP jailed for 10 weeks after punching a man in the street will receive full pay while in prison .
Mike Amesbury, 55, will continue to collect his £91,346 taxpayer-funded salary despite his criminal conviction as he is technically still a serving MP
Amesbury, the MP for Runcorn and Helsby, was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail on Monday after admitting to the assault of a 45-year-old man in Frodsham, Cheshire, in a “drunken brawl” last October
Had he been sentenced to more than a year in prison, Amesbury would have been ousted as an MP automatically and a by-election would have been triggered .
However, because he has been jailed for 10 weeks, he will remain in his seat as an independent MP
His constituents could vote to recall him, but only once any appeals have been exhausted.

I share your anger.
He should be out on his ear straight away.
Before the GE, Labour would have been on their soapbox shouting for Amesbury's sacking but now Starmer drags his heels just as the Tories did.

Anniebach Tue 25-Feb-25 08:42:11

True, he is an independent MP

glasshalffullagain Tue 25-Feb-25 08:39:45

Don't let the truth get in the way Annie.

Anniebach Tue 25-Feb-25 08:37:32

He is an Independent MP

RosieandherMaw Tue 25-Feb-25 08:34:08

This is ridiculous and makes me very angry
The suspended Labour MP jailed for 10 weeks after punching a man in the street will receive full pay while in prison .
Mike Amesbury, 55, will continue to collect his £91,346 taxpayer-funded salary despite his criminal conviction as he is technically still a serving MP
Amesbury, the MP for Runcorn and Helsby, was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail on Monday after admitting to the assault of a 45-year-old man in Frodsham, Cheshire, in a “drunken brawl” last October
Had he been sentenced to more than a year in prison, Amesbury would have been ousted as an MP automatically and a by-election would have been triggered .
However, because he has been jailed for 10 weeks, he will remain in his seat as an independent MP
His constituents could vote to recall him, but only once any appeals have been exhausted.

Shelflife Mon 24-Feb-25 23:27:24

The correct outcome.

Iam64 Mon 24-Feb-25 21:10:53

love0c

It was a bad attack. I am very surprised he did not get a lot longer. I have always understood that ' the only behaviour you can control is your own'. So why only 10 weeks for an actual assault but long sentences for posting on facebook for incitement? Hinting at other people to do deeds is not you doing the actual deed. Do not agree at all with the way things are going in this country. Not happy at all. And very, very worrying!!

posting on Facebook for incitement
hinting at other people to do deeds

So incitement to cause riots is irrelevant to the devastation and damage caused in the summer riots? We saw places with asylum seekers and hotel staff inside set on fire. Police officers and paramedics attacked. It was disgusting.

Tyler Kay aged 26 and Jordan Parlour 28 were sentenced to 38 months and 20 months respectively for stirring up racial hatred during the summer riots. (BBC news). So love0c, you may not agree but our independent courts convicted because the crimes were severe

Silverbrooks Mon 24-Feb-25 21:05:39

Amesbury was charged under Section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 for common assault. The maximum custodial sentence that can be imposed is six months.

Common assault includes things like pushing, slapping, spitting, waving a weapon, threatening words or raising a fist. It doesn't have to involve physical violence.

A first offence is unlikely to result in a custodial sentence but sentencing depends on the severity of the attack and the severity of the injury.

A case involving serious injury is likely to have been charged as ABH or GBH.

So on the scale of: common assault, ABH, GBH, common assault is the lowest.

The court heard that Fellows recognised the MP and approached him to remonstrate about a bridge closure in the town, with CCTV showing them in discussion for several minutes, but with no aggression or raised voices.

At one point Mr Fellows started to walk away but was re-engaged by Mr Amesbury … Amesbury was heard to say “what” a few times before shouting the word.

The prosecutor said Fellows put his hands in his pockets and turned towards the taxi queue, but when he turned back Amesbury punched him in the head. After he fell to the ground, Amesbury followed him on to the road and started to punch him again, at least five times … he was then heard saying “you won’t threaten your MP again will you”.

In pre-sentenicng the judge said: “This case is within the high culpability category. I accept that the injury was not serious. The sentencing guideline suggests a sentence starting point of a high level community order or a range up to a prison sentence.

Based on that, the actual sentence does sound high so I do wonder what was in the pre-sentencing report or to what extent his position as an MP has influenced the sentencing.

The judge said: Your reference to being a member of parliament in the aftermath brings negative impact to the office you are privileged to hold. Your profile and position of power as a servant of the people ought to be a role model to others. That is something you have to be mindful of in all that you do.

Both men involved in the incident had been drinking.

Compare Reform MP James McMurdock who was jailed for kicking his girlfriend “around four times” after he’d been drinking. He served 21 days. He was 19 at the time, so an adult. When his past came to light after he was elected, he described the attack as a “teenager indiscretion”.

Neither man should be serving as an MP.

Wyllow3 Mon 24-Feb-25 21:01:57

love0c

Iam64 Casdon - I spoke of facebook posts. Never mentioned rioting. Why on these forums do some people seem hellbent on putting words into people's mouths? I am not the first to question this either.
Rafichagran you and me both. But his sentence is no where near long enough

You said So why only 10 weeks for an actual assault but long sentences for posting on facebook for incitement? Hinting at other people to do deeds is not you doing the actual deed

what else were you referring to apart from the summer riots?

Casdon Mon 24-Feb-25 21:00:54

What exactly did you mean then love0c? Were you referring to a specific case where somebody had posted about incitement on Facebook that we were supposed to guess, rather that the most obvious recent incitement cases for which people were arrested were related to the Southport killings?

love0c Mon 24-Feb-25 20:55:52

Iam64 Casdon - I spoke of facebook posts. Never mentioned rioting. Why on these forums do some people seem hellbent on putting words into people's mouths? I am not the first to question this either.
Rafichagran you and me both. But his sentence is no where near long enough

rafichagran Mon 24-Feb-25 20:33:13

Glad he got a custodial sentence, he was violent and he deserved all he got.

Wyllow3 Mon 24-Feb-25 19:57:33

Basically:

The MP had assaulted someone in temper and would have been judged on whether there was provocation and of course mainly the actual degree of harm (ie is it an "assault" charge, or is it grievous bodily harm and degrees off) Sentences vary as to the degree of harm and if it is a planned attack.

Riot is a different category ie a situation where there is planned, co-ordinated intention is to join others to inflict injury and damage to people and property

In addition it was planned violence based on racial hatred

There was very substantial damage and a very large number of police injured.

Casdon Mon 24-Feb-25 19:57:07

That post really shocked me love0c, you seem to be saying that inciting violence or riot is less serious than an assault? Surely you don’t think people inciting rioting in Southport and other places after those little girls were killed was not serious? Or making death threats?

Iam64 Mon 24-Feb-25 19:54:28

This serious assault can’t be compared with the public order offences during the riots - especially when the aim of the post is to minimise the damage and risk of damage linked to “Facebook posts”
Q

Wyllow3 Mon 24-Feb-25 19:28:53

Not comparable for a number of reasons.

Would be interested in a record of the proceedings as a number of factors come into play

love0c Mon 24-Feb-25 19:12:15

It was a bad attack. I am very surprised he did not get a lot longer. I have always understood that ' the only behaviour you can control is your own'. So why only 10 weeks for an actual assault but long sentences for posting on facebook for incitement? Hinting at other people to do deeds is not you doing the actual deed. Do not agree at all with the way things are going in this country. Not happy at all. And very, very worrying!!

Maremia Mon 24-Feb-25 18:17:47

Quite a day for MPs in court. That Reform MP, who took Russian bribes, hope he also gets his just desserts.