The Labour Party has suspended MP Mike Amesbury following a late-night altercation during which CCTV footage appeared to capture him striking a man and causing him to fall to the ground. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer sanctioned the suspension of the party whip on Sunday evening after new footage of the incident, which occurred on Friday, surfaced.
The video, obtained by the Daily Mail, shows Amesbury, who represents Runcorn and Helsby, allegedly continuing to hit the man while he was on the ground. The circumstances leading to the altercation remain unclear.
The incident poses a potential distraction for Starmer, who is expected to deliver a speech on Monday in advance of Wednesday’s Budget. In a statement, the Labour Party indicated that Amesbury is cooperating with police inquiries, noting, “As these inquiries are now ongoing, the Labour Party has administratively suspended Mr. Amesbury’s membership of the Labour party pending an investigation.”
On Saturday, Amesbury addressed the incident on his Facebook page, stating, “Last night I was involved in an incident that took place after I felt threatened following an evening out with friends. This morning I contacted Cheshire Police myself to report what happened. I will not be making any further public comment but will of course cooperate with any inquiries if required by Cheshire Police.”
Following the release of the latest CCTV footage, which shows Amesbury shouting at the man in the street in Frodsham, another video posted on social media platform X appeared. In the footage, Amesbury is heard exclaiming, “You won’t threaten the MP ever again, will you?” The context behind the altercation is yet to be clarified.
Cheshire Police confirmed receiving a call regarding an assault on Main Street at 02:48 BST on Saturday, October 26. They reported, “A caller reported he had been assaulted by a man. Inquiries are ongoing.”
Amesbury, who was first elected to Parliament in 2017, retained his seat with a majority of 14,696 votes during the general election in July. He has previously served as a shadow minister.