LABOUR MP Mike Amesbury was arguing with a constituent about the winter fuel allowance and the closure of a local bridge moments before punching him, a witness has claimed.
The politician, 55, was caught on camera flooring an man with a left hook in the early hours of Saturday.
Sky NewsMike Amesbury is seen in footage seemingly throwing the first punch[/caption]
Sky NewsMr Amesbury appeared to throw several punches[/caption]
FacebookPaul Fellows is claimed to be the constituent who was punched in the bust up[/caption]
Mr Amesbury has been an MP since 2017
Amesbury has since been suspended and quizzed by cops, as pressure grows for him to stand down – and he’s been warned he faces prison.
Now, the man he punched has since been identified as Paul Fellows, 42, reports The Times.
A witness has claimed that Fellows had been talking to Amesbury about plans to close a nearby bridge for 33 days between January and March for engineering works.
The source said the conversation also touched on the winter fuel allowance before it grew “heated” on both sides.
However, they claimed there had been no physical provocation until the punch.
Amesbury had previously described the closure of the Sutton Weaver Swing Bridge, which carries the A56 over the River Weaver Navigation, as “unacceptable”.
There has been disagreement over proposals to increase toll charges on the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee bridges, which connect Widnes with Runcorn over the River Mersey, by 40p.
Amesbury, the MP for Runcorn & Helsby in Cheshire, was involved in the scuffle in Frodsham, Cheshire, within his own Runcorn and Helsby constituency.
The Labour MP released a statement prior to the damning CCTV evidence emerging saying he had “felt threatened” during the 2.15am altercation.
Sir Keir Starmer said the incident was “shocking” and defended Labour’s decision to suspend him.
However, pal and former Labour adviser Matthew Torbitt claims the former member of Sir Keir Starmer’s Shadow Cabinet was subjected to a “lengthy wind up”.
He said Amesbury had also suffered “personal attacks” before throwing the drunken punch.
Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick said today Amesbury should not be an MP following the brawl.
Cheshire police confirmed that a 55-year-old man had been voluntarily interviewed under caution about the incident and had been released pending further inquiries.