Labour Suspends Mike Amesbury After Video Showed Him Punching Man in Street

Undated handout photo issued UK Parliament of Mike Amesbury MP on Oct. 27, 2024. Richard Townshend/PA

Labour has suspended Mike Amesbury after footage showing the MP for Runcorn and Helsby punching a man to the ground surfaced online.

The suspension applies both to Amesbury’s Labour party membership and his role as a Labour party MP, “pending an investigation” into the incident.

A video, obtained by the Mail Online, showed Amesbury repeatedly hitting a man lying on the ground, while bystanders can be seen trying to intervene. The MP is then seen shouting at the victim before leaving the scene at Frodsham, Cheshire.

The 55-year-old backbencher confirmed his involvement in the incident, posting on his X page that he felt threatened, following an evening out with friends.

“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, cooperate with any inquiries if required by Cheshire Police,” Amesbury said.

The Labour party has reacted by issuing this statement: “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 of the Labour Party pending an investigation.”

The Cheshire police confirmed officers were called to a scene in Frodsham at 2:48 a.m. on Saturday. Amesbury was voluntarily interviewed under caution in relation to the incident.

“He has since been released pending further inquiries,” the force said.

Other footage, which circulated on social media on Saturday, showed Amesbury shouting at a man, lying on the ground, saying, “you won’t ever threaten me again.”

The MP pointed at the man and added: “Yes I am [the MP], yes I am, and you won’t threaten the MP ever again, will you?”

Amesbury has been a Labour MP in Cheshire since 2017 and won his constituency in the July general election with a majority of 14,696.

In 2022, Amesbury, who at that time was Labour’s shadow minister for Housing and Planning, was confronted by 56-year-old man Stephen Cowell, when the MP was walking to his car.

In July 2023, Cowell was found guilty of stalking and harassing Amesbury at his constituency office and in town.

Calls for Resignation

The latest incident has prompted calls for Amesbury’s resignation. Reform UK issued a statement on Sunday, calling for the Labour MP to stand down.

“The new footage of Mike Amesbury MP is damning. 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.

“Reform UK are today calling for Mike Amesbury to do the honourable thing and resign immediately so a by-election can be held,” Reform UK said.

Reform UK’s candidate Jason Moorcroft came second in the Runcorn and Helsby general election vote, followed by  Conservative Party candidate Jade Marsden. If a by-election is called, Reform UK or Conservatives could take the Labour-held Runcorn and Helsby seat.

The Conservative Party leadership candidate Robert Jenrick said in an X post: “Labour’s promised to ‘smash the gangs’. Looks like they’re now smashing their constituents instead.”

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “Mike Amesbury has questions to answer about his actions and it is right they are thoroughly investigated.”

Former Tory MP Dehenna Davidson, whose father was killed by a one-punch attack when she was just a teenager, called the incident footage “horrendous.”

Davidson works with One Punch UK campaign to raise awareness about social violence.

“A split-second decision can end and ruin lives. Such violence—whatever the background to the altercation—is never and should never be justified,” she said.

Davidson added that violent behaviour is not an example any MP should be setting.

PA Media contributed to this report.