Court date set for MP assault charge

An MP charged with assault following an incident in which he was filmed apparently punching a man to the ground will appear in court next month.

Mike Amesbury, who was suspended by the Labor Party after footage of the October 26 incident emerged last month, will appear before Chester magistrates on December 30.

Mr Amesbury, MP for Runcorn and Helsby, was involved in an altercation with a 45-year-old man in Frodsham just after 2.45am BST on October 26.

Cheshire Police said on Thursday that the 55-year-old had been charged with common assault.

Mr Amesbury won his seat at the general election in July with a majority of 14,696.

He was a Labor MP from 2017 until his suspension and served as shadow minister between 2018 and 2024.

He has described the incident in Frodsham as “deeply regrettable”.