MP Mike Amesbury jailed 10 weeks for assaulting constituent

Mike Amesbury, the former Labour MP for Runcorn and Helsby, has been sentenced to 10 weeks in prison for a drunken assault on a constituent, Paul Fellows, in October. The incident occurred after Amesbury, who had been drinking, was approached by Fellows at a taxi rank regarding a bridge closure. CCTV footage revealed Amesbury punching Fellows, knocking him to the ground, and continuing to strike him while shouting threats. Following his guilty plea to common assault, Amesbury was suspended from the Labour Party and faces potential ousting from parliament, which could lead to a by-election. Judge Tan Ikram emphasized the need for the sentence as both punishment and deterrent, noting the MP's role as a public figure. With increasing pressure on Labour, particularly from the Reform UK party, Amesbury's actions could have significant political repercussions.