Sir Keir Starmer has called footage of a Labour MP punching someone “shocking” – but declined to say if he should resign.
In a video from the weekend Mike Amesbury, the MP for Runcorn and Helsby, was seen punching a man, who fell to the floor, before then hitting him repeatedly.
After the footage came to light, the Labour Party said it had administratively suspended his membership “pending an investigation”.
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Asked if the backbench MP should resign, Sir Keir said: “The video footage is shocking, we moved very swiftly to suspend him, there is now a police investigation and there is not much more I can say now.”
Earlier footage had shown Mr Amesbury shouting at a man while he was lying on the floor, saying: “you won’t ever threaten me again”.
In a statement the MP said he felt “threatened on the street following an evening out with friends” – and added he “contacted Cheshire Police myself to report what happened during this incident”.
“I will not be making further public comment but will, of course, cooperate with any inquiries if required by Cheshire Police,” he added.
A spokesperson for Cheshire Police said: “A 55-year-old man has been voluntarily interviewed under caution by police in relation to this incident. He has since been released pending further enquiries.”
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