Police probe reports of an assault involving Labour MP

Mike Amesbury, the MP for Runcorn and Helsby, says on Facebook he has reported the incident to police as video appears to show argument with man on street

A former Labour shadow minister says he has spoken to police after a video emerged of him appearing to tell a member of the public “you won’t ever threaten me again, will you?”

Officers are investigating reports of an alleged assault involving the backbencher.

In footage shared on social media, Mike Amesbury, the MP for Runcorn and Helsby, is seen apparently repeatedly pointing at the man, who is on the ground.

At one point, when he is identified as a local MP, he appears to say: “Yes, I am, and you won’t threaten the MP ever again, will you?”

Cheshire Police said they were called to reports of an assault in Frodsham in the early hours of Saturday.

In a statement released on his Facebook page, Mr Amesbury said: “Last night, I was involved in an incident that took place after I felt threatened on the street following an evening with friends.

“This morning, I contacted Cheshire Police myself to report what happened during this incident.

Mike Amesbury, MP for Runcorn and Helsby (PA Media)

“I will not be making further comment but will, of course, cooperate with any inquiries if required by Cheshire Police.”

In its statement, Cheshire Police said: “At 2.48am on Saturday 26 October, police were called to reports of an assault in Frodsham. A caller reported he had been assaulted by a man in Main Street. Enquiries are ongoing.”

In a statement, Labour said: “We are aware of an incident that took place last night. We understand that Mike Amesbury MP approached Cheshire Police to report what happened this morning himself and that he will cooperate with any inquiries they have.”

In 2022, Mr Amesbury resigned as shadow minister for local government, saying he wanted to concentrate on helping his constituents.

At the time he said his constituents increasingly needed his help and that he “couldn’t give the shadow role the energy it demands”.

He was first appointed by Sir Keir Starmer to serve in the shadow levelling up, housing and communities team in April 2020, having previously been a shadow employment minister.

In 2019, he apologised for sharing an image containing an “antisemitic caricature” – after initially denying that he had done so.

The Jewish Chronicle reported at the time that he had shared a picture on Facebook in 2013, before he was elected to parliament, from a website called IlluminatiAgenda.com

The paper reported that the image showed a hook-nosed, bearded, cackling man wearing a Father Christmas hat, rubbing his hands together, along with the words: “Remember to support the banks and corporations this Christmas in their continued efforts to enslave mankind, by spending money you haven’t got on things you don’t need…”

He later issued a statement “apologising unreservedly for this terrible error”, calling the image “appalling” and saying it “contains an antisemitic caricature”.

In July last year, a 56-year-old man was convicted of stalking the MP at his constituency office in Frodsham, where prosecutors said he was seen staring through the glass and asked guards about their level of security.