A former Labour MP has been jailed for assault - teeing up the prospect of a nightmare by-election for Keir Starmer.

Mike Amesbury repeatedly punched 45-year-old Paul Fellows in Frodsham, Cheshire, in October last year.

At Cheshire Magistrates Court on Monday, the Runcorn and Helsby MP was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison.

His conviction will trigger a recall petition of his constituents, which would lead to a by-election if 10% of eligible voters in the seat sign it.

Amesbury, who was expelled by Labour after the incident, was elected to represent the newly-created constituency last July with a majority of nearly 15,000 over Reform UK.

But since then, Labour’s popularity has plummeted and the party is now running neck-and-neck with Nigel Farage’s party in opinion polls.

Amesbury pleaded guilty to assault at a hearing last month, during which CCTV of the incident was shown in court. The prosecution said the MP punched Mr Fellows at least five times while he was on the ground.

Speaking after that hearing, the MP told reporters: “I respect the judicial process. It’s highly regrettable, the incident in October.

“I’m sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.”

Amesbury first became an MP for the former seat of Weaver Vale at the 2017 general election.

He was a shadow local government minister when Labour was in opposition, but stood down from the role in 2022 to focus on his constituency work.

In court on Monday, Amesbury’s lawyer Richard Derby said: “I’ve never represented a person of such exemplary character as I have today, who has provided so much of his life to public service and the service of others.”

He added: “The sentence he is carrying emotionally, professionally and mentally will stay with him forever.”

Passing sentence, deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram said Amesbury “continued to punch Mr Fellows when he was on the ground”.

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