Labour MP Mike Amesbury has been suspended from the Labour Party after CCTV footage surfaced appearing to show him punching a man to the ground in an incident in Frodsham, Cheshire. As a result of this suspension, Amesbury will sit as an independent MP in Parliament, having had the Labour whip withdrawn.
The video, obtained by the Daily Mail, allegedly shows Amesbury continuing to hit the man while he lies on the street. Cheshire Police confirmed that a 55-year-old man was voluntarily interviewed under caution regarding the incident and has since been released pending further inquiries.
Amesbury has not yet commented publicly on the matter. A Labour Party spokesperson stated, “Mike Amesbury MP has been assisting Cheshire Police with their inquiries following an incident on Friday night. As these inquiries are now ongoing, the Labour Party has administratively suspended Mr. Amesbury’s membership pending an investigation.”
Prior to the emergence of the CCTV footage, a separate video was shared on social media, which appeared to show Amesbury shouting and swearing at the man on the ground. In the initial clip, he can be heard saying, “You won’t threaten the MP ever again, will you?”
Cheshire Police reported that officers were called at 2:48 AM on Saturday, 26 October, following reports of an assault. The caller claimed he had been attacked by a man on Main Street. In a statement on his Facebook page, Amesbury said, “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.”
Senior Labour minister Pat McFadden described the CCTV footage as “very graphic” but emphasized the importance of allowing the police to conduct their investigation before making further comments. A spokesperson for the Conservative Party noted that Amesbury “has questions to answer about his actions,” calling for a thorough investigation.
Reform UK, whose candidate finished second in the July general election against Amesbury, has called for his resignation. Former Conservative MP Dehenna Davison, whose father died from a single punch, condemned the footage as “horrendous,” stressing that violence is never justified regardless of the circumstances.
Amesbury has represented Cheshire as a Labour MP since 2017 and served as a shadow minister from 2018 until 2024. In the recent July general election, he secured his seat with a majority of 14,696 votes. In July 2023, a 56-year-old man was found guilty of stalking and harassing Amesbury at his constituency office and in the town.
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