Mike Amesbury: Suspended Labour MP charged with assault

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MP Mike Amesbury has been charged with assault after a video emerged of him appearing to punch a man to the ground.

The Runcorn and Helsby MP, who was suspended from Labour after the footage circulated last month, will appear before magistrates at a later date, police said.

The charge relates to an alleged attack on a 45-year-old man on Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire, which was reported to officers at 2.48am on Saturday October 26.

Amesbury lost the Labour whip in October, with the party saying he had been suspended “pending an investigation” into the incident. As a result, he is currently sitting as an independent.

The MP said he was continuing to cooperate with police after being summonsed to court over the “deeply regrettable” incident.

In a statement, he said: “I have today been summonsed to court to face a charge of common assault following an incident in Frodsham last month, which was deeply regrettable.

“I am continuing to cooperate with police and given this is an ongoing case I cannot comment further.”

Until the election, he served as a shadow minister for housing and local government.

Amesbury now sits on the housing, communities and local government committee in parliament.

Rosemary Ainslie, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s Special Crime Division, said: “Following a review of the evidence provided by Cheshire Police, we have authorised a charge of common assault against Mike Amesbury MP, 55.

“The charge follows an alleged assault in Frodsham, Cheshire, on Saturday, October 26 2024.

“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”