A British lawmaker, Mike Amesbury, has been suspended by the governing Labour Party following an incident that occurred on Friday night in Cheshire, northwest England. The alleged altercation, captured on social media and surveillance footage, shows Amesbury punching a man on the street.
Amesbury, who has been a member of parliament since 2017, is currently assisting police with their investigation into the incident. Labour has suspended him pending further inquiries.
In a statement released by Amesbury, he claimed that he felt threatened and was involved in the altercation after a night out with friends. He has since contacted Cheshire Police to report the incident.
Cheshire Police have confirmed that a 55-year-old man, believed to be Amesbury, was voluntarily interviewed under caution and has been released pending further investigations.
Labour, which recently won a commanding majority in the July general election, has faced several challenges with some MPs having the whip removed or resigning from the party. Amesbury is currently an independent member of the House of Commons.
The Reform UK party has called for Amesbury to resign and trigger a by-election in his constituency, which could potentially be the first electoral test for the new government.
MPs are allowed to remain in the Commons even after losing the party whip, but a recall petition in their constituency could lead to a by-election if they receive a prison sentence.
