Mike Amesbury, the MP suspended by Labour pending an investigation, has been charged with assault after an incident following a night out.
Amesbury, 55, was suspended by the party and lost the Labour whip on 27 October after a clip was published by MailOnline.
Cheshire police said Amesbury had been summoned to court to face the charge of section 39 assault. He is due to appear in a magistrates court at a later date.
The MP for Runcorn and Helsby has been sitting as an independent since the incident but has faced calls to resign, which would trigger a byelection.
Amesbury said he was continuing to cooperate with police after being summoned over a “deeply regrettable” incident in Frodsham, Cheshire.
“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,” he said. “I am continuing to cooperate with police and given this is an ongoing case I cannot comment further.”
The MP was a shadow minister for housing and local government and currently sits on parliament’s housing and local government committee.
Rosemary Ainslie, the 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, 26 October 2024.”
She reminded the public and media it was “extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings”.
“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,” Ainslie said.
A Labour spokesperson said: “Mike Amesbury MP was suspended by the Labour party following the announcement of the police investigation. We cannot comment further whilst legal proceedings are ongoing.”
