Labour Party announces investigation into Jared O'Mara MP over verbal abuse claims

Pressure mounting on Labour leader to remove whip from MP over sexist, homophobic and racist comments

Mr O'Mara made the remarks before he was elected Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam (Twitter)

Labour has launched an investigation into MP Jared O’Mara, who came under fire for allegedly calling a constituent “an ugly b****” and for posting offensive comments on online message boards.

Mr O’Mara, who toppled former deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg in the election, resigned from the Commons Women and Equalities Committee on Monday after the emergence of misogynistic and homophobic comments he made more than a decade ago.

The Sheffield Hallam MP is now facing an internal party investigation after new reports claim he called a constituent an “ugly b****” in a nightclub just months before he was elected – a claim he “categorically denies” – while new allegations have surfaced on the Guido Fawkes blog that he used racial slurs in online forums.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The party is investigating Jared O’Mara MP in relation to comments and behaviour which have been reported from earlier this year.”

It comes days after former Shadow Business Secretary Clive Lewis also had to apologise for telling a male actor to “get on your knees, b****” in an event at the Labour party conference.

Women and equalities minister Justine Greening has written to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, urging him to remove the whip from Mr O’Mara and to condemn behaviour that leaves a “deep and persistent stain” on Labour’s record.

She said in her letter: “Violent, sexist and homophobic language must have no place in our society, and parliamentarians of all parties have a duty to stamp out this sort of behaviour wherever we encounter it, and condemn it in the strongest possible terms.

“Will you be investigating the latest allegations made against Jared O’Mara MP?

“How is it that individuals who have made such remarks can be selected as Labour candidates? Will you be removing the whip from him while the investigation is carried out?”

Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable also waded into the row, branding the allegations of racist comments as “completely unacceptable”. He said: “If he did make these remarks, Labour needs to withdraw the whip from him immediately.

“People must have confidence that MPs will stand up against prejudice. As MPs, we cannot let ourselves fall short of those standards, particularly in our dealings with the public.”

Sheffield Hallam constituent Sophie Evans told BBC Two’s Daily Politics that several comments Mr O’Mara made to her in March “aren’t broadcastable”, but claimed they included transphobic slurs as well as the claim she was “an ugly b****”.

A spokesman for Mr O’Mara said: “He categorically denies the latest allegations.”

Both Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Shadow women and equalities minister Dawn Butler said there would be an investigation, while Ms Butler described his alleged comments as “completely offensive”.

Mr McDonnell told the Press Association: “He has apologised for what we knew yesterday. He issued a profuse apology. Any language like that, we know is unacceptable and I’m hoping he will apologise for that.”

Asked if there should be an investigation, Mr McDonnell said: “That would be the normal process.”

Mr O’Mara said he had made a “full and unreserved” apology to Labour MPs about the online remarks, and felt “deeply ashamed” of his past comments.

“Overwhelmingly, people accepted my apology, accepted my sincerity and remorse; they accepted I have been through a journey of education,” he said in an interview.

“I’ve stood down from the Women and Equalities Select Committee too – I think it’s the right thing to do. I don’t think I can continue on that committee when I feel so deeply ashamed of the man I was 15 years ago.”