Mike Amesbury to stand down as MP over assault conviction

Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury has said helium volition basal down from parliament aft being fixed a situation condemnation for repeatedly punching a constituent.

The Runcorn and Helsby MP has told the BBC helium volition statesman the "statutory process" of winding up his bureau earlier resigning arsenic an MP "as soon arsenic possible".

His resignation volition trigger the archetypal by-election of Sir Keir Starmer's Labour government.

Amesbury was fixed a 10-week situation sentence, suspended for 2 years, aft helium admitted assaulting Paul Fellows.

In his archetypal interrogation since the sentencing, Amesbury said helium "regrets" attacking Mr Fellows "every moment, each day".

But Amesbury told the BBC helium would person tried to stay an MP - a occupation helium said was his "calling" - had helium been fixed a lighter assemblage sentence.

Under parliamentary rules, if an MP receives a custodial sentence, a "recall petition" is triggered.

If astatine slightest 10% of his constituents had voted to region Amesbury, a by-election would person been called - perchance ousting him arsenic MP.

Asked astir his future, Amesbury told the BBC: "I'm going to measurement speech astatine the earliest opportunity.

"I've got processes I indispensable spell done - there's a statutory process successful presumption of redundancies," helium said.

Amesbury described the fallout from his tribunal lawsuit arsenic "difficult", but said helium "owns" his mistake.

Amesbury defended continuing to instrumentality his MP wages - contempt not appearing successful a House of Commons debates since video of him punching Mr Fellows archetypal surfaced successful October 2024.

He told the BBC helium carried retired casework for his constituents, adjacent portion down bars.

"I really picked up immoderate casework successful prison," Amesbury said, arsenic his bureau manager forwarded connected "correspondence".

"Life doesn't halt arsenic an MP," helium added.

Amesbury spent 3 nights successful jailhouse pursuing his 10-week condemnation being handed down astatine Chester Magistrates' Court connected 24 February.

Chester Crown Court aboriginal suspended his sentence, allowing him to service his clip successful the assemblage alternatively of down bars.

As portion of his suspended sentence, Amesbury indispensable transportation retired 200 hours of unpaid work, undertake an intoxicant monitoring programme, spell connected an choler absorption people and transportation retired 20 days of rehabilitation work.

Campaigners had called for Amesbury to beryllium stripped of his wages during his proceedings and imprisonment.

The Independent Parliament Standards Authority (IPSA), which regulates MPs' pay, said the rules mean that until a subordinate is suspended arsenic a effect of a House of Commons disciplinary process they indispensable beryllium paid their salary.

Asked however helium responded to radical who mightiness deliberation helium had been treated lightly successful having his condemnation suspended, Amesbury said helium had been "punished accordingly".

"I pleaded blameworthy astatine the earliest accidental successful presumption of the law," Amesbury said.

He told the BBC helium is "going to suffer the household home", his livelihood and locomotion distant with a transgression record.

"If radical deliberation that's lightly, truthful beryllium it."

Video footage of the assault, played successful court, showed Amesbury punching Mr Fellows successful the head, knocking him to the ground.

The person past deed him astatine slightest 5 much times and swore astatine him.

Amesbury was past heard saying: "You won't endanger your MP again, volition you?"

The tribunal heard that Amesbury told the constabulary helium had been approached by a antheral "shouting and screaming", and said that, due to the fact that helium was terrified and the different man's "arms were swinging", helium felt helium had nary enactment but to "defend" himself.

Despite the justice calling his comments "a battalion of lies", Amesbury maintains helium "felt threatened" by Mr Fellows.

In the days starring up to the incidental Amesbury said helium had been dealing with decease threats and the interaction of a stalker which raised his "anxiety levels".

Threats and maltreatment "make you connected edge", Amesbury said, noting that 2 MPs - Jo Cox and Sir David Amess - were murdered successful the past decade.

"So, erstwhile idiosyncratic approached maine astatine 10 past 2 successful the greeting it was rather earthy to beryllium connected borderline and anxious - and I got it wrong," helium said.

He said helium should person walked away, adding: "I conscionable saw reddish - a infinitesimal of madness which I volition regret for the remainder of my life."

He added helium would similar to apologise to Mr Fellows successful person, but held backmost arsenic the ineligible process unfolded.