TWO men have been arrested following reports of another man being assaulted in Amesbury last night (May 1) Police say they were made aware of an assault by the ambulance service in Mill Green Road at around 11.45pm They say a man in his 20s was taken to hospital after suffering a serious head injury but his injuries are not thought to be life-threatening on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent,” a spokesperson for Wiltshire Police said READ MORE: Amesbury fundraisers march in aid of veterans’ mental health READ MORE: Amesbury man jailed for “horrendous” sexual offences against child under 13 The 22-year-old was also found to have drugs in his sock and was subsequently further arrested on suspicion of possession of a Class A drug He was also arrested on suspicion of harassment in connection with an incident in Hampshire Both men remain in custody for questioning Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to contact 101 with reference 353 of yesterday’s date (01/05) Click here for more crime news from your Salisbury & Avon Gazette. Follow us on Subscribe to the The New Blackmore Vale Magazine The New Stour & Avon Magazine The Purbeck Gazette The former Labour MP was caught on camera assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows and shouting: "You won't threaten the MP ever again Amesbury, 55, stood in silence as he was sentenced, our reporters write from court His sentence triggers a recall petition - if 10% of his constituents sign it Sentencing magistrate says Amesbury's "unprovoked drunken behaviour" was too serious to be dealt with by unpaid work Watch: CCTV captures moment Mike Amesbury MP punches man with Erica Witherington and Kaleigh Watterson reporting from court That brings our coverage of Mike Amesbury's sentencing hearing to an end You can read a full account of proceedings here Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMike Amesbury jailed: What happened at Chester Magistrates' Court?published at 16:40 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February16:40 GMT 24 FebruaryBefore we wrap up our coverage of Runcorn & Helsby MP Mike Amesbury's sentencing Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMike Amesbury heads to prisonpublished at 16:29 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February16:29 GMT 24 FebruaryThis video can not be played MP Mike Amesbury leaves court in a prison van after being sentenced to 10 weeks in jail Mike Amesbury was loaded into a van bound for Category B jail HMP Altcourse in Liverpool It is a process that would allow voters in Runcorn and Helsby to unseat the MP Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingOvercrowded prisons a factor in MP's sentencepublished at 15:54 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February15:54 GMT 24 FebruaryDeputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram said he had considered the current pressure on prison populations while deciding whether to jail Amesbury the Court of Appeal said the size of the adult male prison population could be taken into account by a judge when deciding whether to impose an immediate custodial sentence So this was something the magistrate was bearing in mind when he was weighing everything up Mr Ikram felt he had no choice but to send Amesbury straight to jail He decided that the aggravating factors including the lack of provocation and the level of Amesbury’s aggression meant that only an immediate prison sentence was a serious enough “punishment” and “deterrent.” Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFellow Cheshire MP says Amesbury must gopublished at 15:34 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February15:34 GMT 24 FebruaryThe Conservative MP for Tatton Esther McVey has said Amesbury must "do the decent thing and resign his seat with immediate effect" In a post on X she said: "You can’t have Members of Parliament languishing in prison." Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMagistrate says MP knew the man he punchedpublished at 15:21 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February15:21 GMT 24 FebruaryErica WitheringtonReporting from Chester Magistrates' Court the deputy chief magistrate mentioned something we had not heard before — that Amesbury and his victim recognised Amesbury from school we do not know but the judge felt it was pertinent enough to mention It was Mr Fellows who approached Amesbury to start a discussion about a bridge closure his lawyer said Amesbury had not wanted to “engage” Amesbury himself told the police he had felt threatened and the magistrate was certain that not only was Amesbury’s aggression “unprovoked” he could “reasonably expect challenge from a member of the public.” He concluded that one of the most serious factors was that after Amesbury had punched Mr Fellows to the ground despite his victim not retaliating at all If it wasn’t for other people rushing to intervene the judge said he was sure Amesbury would have done Mr Fellows even more harm Was there more history to their relationship Amesbury certainly felt the need to assert his elevated position: “You won’t ever threaten the MP again The judge said Amesbury ought to have been a role model to others - and only an immediate prison sentence was sufficient punishment Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMP taken to prisonpublished at 14:58 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February14:58 GMT 24 FebruaryThe prison van is taking Amesbury away to serve his prison sentence He was earlier jailed for 10 weeks for assaulting a constituent Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingIgnominious end for popular MP's career?published at 14:28 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February14:28 GMT 24 FebruaryKaleigh WattersonBBC Cheshire political reporter Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMP held at court while other cases take placepublished at 14:15 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February14:15 GMT 24 FebruaryErica WitheringtonReporting from Chester Magistrates' Court The prison van is still waiting here at Chester Magistrates’ and so too are the photographers keen to capture Amesbury leaving for a month behind bars It’s a busy court and there will be other defendants receiving custodial sentences here today The MP for Runcorn and Helsby’s likely to be sharing a van with a number of offenders when it’s finally ready to leave Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingHow long will the MP be behind bars?published at 14:04 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February14:04 GMT 24 FebruaryThe magistrate told Amesbury he must serve 40% of his 10 week sentence That would work out at about a month in jail at the Category B prison HMP Altcourse in Liverpool he will be released on licence and must attend appointments with probation officers or risk being brought back to court The MP was also asked to pay £200 in compensation to his victim and court costs of £85 Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMike Amesbury won comfortable majority in last electionpublished at 13:51 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February13:51 GMT 24 FebruaryLooking back at the 2024 general election results in Runcorn and Helsby Amesbury secured around 52.9% of the vote as he won the seat for Labour with 22,358 votes Reform came second in the newly-created constituency with candidate Jason Moorcroft taking 7,662 votes Meanwhile the Conservatives finished third with about 16% of the vote The parties will be keeping a keen on today's events and preparing themselves to hit the campaign trail once again should a by-election be triggered Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingReform demands MP stand down for by-electionpublished at 13:44 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February13:44 GMT 24 FebruaryIn more political reaction to the sentence Reform UK has said Amesbury should stand down immediately for a by-election to take place The party's chairman Zia Yusuf said: "The great people of Runcorn deserve far better than waiting six weeks for a recall petition to take place "We call on Mike Amesbury to do the honourable thing and resign immediately so a by-election can be held." If Amesbury resigns a by-election would be automatically triggered Should a by-election take place in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency Reform and the Conservatives would be hoping to overturn Labour's majority of 14,696 Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingResidents of Mike Amesbury's constituency 'deserved better' - Labourpublished at 13:31 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February13:31 GMT 24 FebruaryResidents of the MP's constituency "deserved better" after his "completely unacceptable actions" It said: "The Labour Party took swift action following Mike Amesbury's completely unacceptable actions and he is no longer a Labour MP or a member of the Labour Party "It is right that Mr Amesbury pleaded guilty and has now been sentenced "Local residents in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency deserved better and we look forward to them getting the representation they deserve in the future with a new Labour MP." Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRecap: Key developments as Mike Amesbury sentencedpublished at 13:19 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February13:19 GMT 24 FebruaryIf you're just joining us here's a round-up of the key developments from Chester Magistrates' Court: Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPrison van arrives to take Mike Amesbury awaypublished at 13:09 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February13:09 GMT 24 FebruaryErica WitheringtonReporting from Chester Magistrates' Court The press pack has now moved around to the back of Chester Magistrates’ Court - where a prison van is waiting Amesbury's defence lawyer asked the magistrate to release him bail while he appeals against his sentence he will be taken to HMP Altcourse in Liverpool he did not appear to have a brought a bag of belongings with him Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingFootage shows Mike Amesbury punching constituentpublished at 12:58 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February12:58 GMT 24 FebruaryThis video can not be played CCTV captures moment Mike Amesbury MP punches man The incident first came to light when footage of the attack began to circulate widely on social media The footage - which was shown to the court - shows the MP hitting Paul Fellows and shouting: "You won’t threaten the MP ever again Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingJail sentence clears way for recall petitionpublished at 12:50 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February12:50 GMT 24 FebruaryThe custodial sentence handed to Mike Amesbury means voters in his constituency can remove him from his seat with a recall petition They can be called if a sitting MP is convicted of an offence that leads to jail time More than 10% of voters need to sign the petition in his Runcorn and Helsby constituency for a by-election to be triggered A recall petition would also be triggered if the House of Commons decided to suspend him for 10 sitting days or more Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMP's plea for bail is refusedpublished at 12:40 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February12:40 GMT 24 FebruaryAmesbury’s lawyer asked for him to be allowed bail so that he could appeal The MP was told he will serve 40% of his sentence A prison van has been seen at the back of the court building Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingAmesbury stands in silence as he learns his fatepublished at 12:38 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February12:38 GMT 24 FebruaryAmesbury stood in the dock with his hands clasped as he listened to his fate Two prison officers escorted him from the dock after the sentence was passed The magistrate said he accepted the MP had spent his life in public service and "served in high office" but his focus was on "public protection" He said the MP had "argued that you acted only in self defence Thomas Caygill is currently receiving funding from the British Academy (SRG2324\241256) Nottingham Trent University provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK View all partners Since the publication of this article, Mike Amesbury’s sentence has been suspended on appeal MP Mike Amesbury has been jailed for ten weeks after he pleaded guilty to punching a man in his constituency of Runcorn and Helsby The indecent happened in October of last year Amesbury had the Labour whip withdrawn and has sat as an independent MP since What happens to MPs who are accused and found guilty of wrongdoing While it does depend on how we define “wrongdoing” as it can vary in terms of the scale of offence there are several options available to parliamentary parties the House of Commons itself and the public neither parliament nor the Labour party can stop him from remaining as an MP under the current rules either while in prison or after he comes out Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter The ultimate power parliamentary parties have (particularly the leader) is to remove the whip this means the MP is expelled from the parliamentary party and may not sit with their colleagues nor be reelected under the party banner should the whip remain withdrawn at an election Amesbury had the whip withdrawn after the allegations and video evidence (which was circulated widely on social media) emerged The House of Commons has the power to suspend MPs from the chamber for a specified period of time Where an MP is found to have broken the code of conduct or committed a contempt of the House (for example the committee on standards may recommend a period of suspension which leads to a motion being tabled in the House of Commons This is what was going to happen to Boris Johnson after he was found to have misled parliament over “partygate” allegations He resigned before the suspension could take effect The parliamentary commissioner for standards, (an independent officer of the House of Commons), can also investigate complaints made against MPs (including over breaching lobbying rules). In serious cases it can report to the standards committee to recommend a sanction, including suspension from the House The only way an MP can be expelled by the House of Commons completely (rather than having their membership suspended) is if they are sentenced to more than a year’s imprisonment this would have been the end of the process Amesbury would have had the whip withdrawn After completing his ten-week sentence he would have been free to continue to sit as an MP until the end of his current term As things stand in 2025, this is no longer the end of the line for these kinds of offences. We are approaching the tenth anniversary of the Recall of MPs Act which has provided a route for the electorate to remove sitting MPs who have been found to have committed wrongdoing Recall refers to a process whereby the electorate in a constituency can trigger a byelection to remove a sitting MP before the end of their term of office MPs can be recalled under three circumstances: if they are convicted in the UK of any offence and sentenced or ordered to be imprisoned or detained if an MP is suspended from the House following report and recommended sanction from the committee on standards for a specified period: at least 10 sitting days, or at least 14 days if sitting days are not specified (we saw a number of these kind of recalls during the 2019 Parliament, particularly following lobbying scandals) if an MP is convicted of making false or misleading parliamentary allowances claims (under the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009) his sentence is close to meeting the conditions of the first point I use the word “close” as he is planning on appealing the sentence and the criteria cannot be formally met until those appeals are exhausted then the speaker must notify the local returning officer (who oversees elections) A recall petition is then automatically launched and remains open for six weeks For a petition to be successful and a byelection triggered 10% of the eligible registered voters must sign it At the time of writing, there have been six recall petitions launched against various MPs. Four of those were successful and saw the sitting MP lose their seat, one petition failed and the MP remained in place and in one case the MP resigned while the petition was open, automatically triggering a byelection Given Amesbury is appealing, this process has not yet begun. However, he is under pressure to resign immediately and trigger a byelection now While there is potentially a way back for Amesbury in terms of remaining an MP (should his appeal be upheld or if a recall petition goes ahead and fails to meet the 10% threshold) it is unlikely there is a way back for him in terms of having the Labour whip restored without a party whip he most likely faces defeat at a subsequent general election This is what happened to former Labour MP Claudia Webbe. She had the whip withdrawn by the Labour Party in 2021 following a conviction for harassment. However, she appealed her sentence and was given community service instead – failing to trigger the Recall of MPs Act. She remained as an independent MP until the 2024 general election, where she was defeated by the Conservative candidate. There is an onus on political parties to ensure they respond to wrongdoing appropriately, including suspending the whip and removing it where necessary. In Amesbury’s case, Labour acted quickly. But given the scandals we have seen in recent years, the public have limited patience. And wrongdoing, by what is a small minority of MPs, can tar the reputation of all MPs and parliament itself. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. ‘Everyone knows one punch can kill,’ Paul Fellows said as he urged Keir Starmer to change rules allowing MPs to continue to receive their pay after their conviction I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A man attacked by former Labour MP Mike Amesbury in a drunken row has said he feared he could have been killed as he spoke out about the politician being freed from prison Paul Fellows, 45, was set upon by Amesbury after a disagreement about the closure of a local bridge as they both waited for a taxi at 2am in Frodsham CCTV showed Amesbury punch Mr Fellows to the head Mr Fellows fell back and nearly hit his head on the stone surface of the high street Amesbury was heard saying: “You won’t threaten your MP again will you He was jailed for 10 weeks before being freed last week after winning an appeal and instead given a suspended sentence Mr Fellows, a father of two, told The Sun on Sunday: “He could’ve killed me and deserves to be in prison Any adult with an ounce of common sense knows that As soon as you lay your hand on someone you’re committing an assault And if you punch someone you’ve got to accept the consequences He called on Sir Keir Starmer to change the rules to prevent Amesbury from earning his £91,346 annual wage as an independent MP after his conviction Mr Fellows added: “If I got jailed I’d be sacked so why should it be different for anyone else Once you’re convicted you should just lose your job.” He also thanked a woman for intervening after claiming Amesbury “rained five or six punches” on the top of his head a lady ran over and shouted ‘Stop!’ and he’s walked away I want to say thank you to that lady because it could have been far worse.” The former Labour MP, who is an independent after he was suspended by the party over the attack, refused to answer questions about whether he would resign as Runcorn and Helsby MP as he walked free from prison said: “I’d like to reiterate that I sincerely apologise once again to Mr Fellows and his family and I’ll give a statement at a later stage.” He returned to Chester Crown Court in a prison van to appeal his sentence on Thursday, wearing handcuffs, after he was dealt an immediate jail term on Monday which saw him spend three nights at HMP Altcourse. Granting the appeal, honorary recorder of Chester, Judge Steven Everett, sitting with two magistrates, imposed another sentence of 10 weeks’ imprisonment but suspended it for two years. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Ex-Labour MP was originally jailed for 10 weeks for assaulting a man in the street MP Mike Amesbury has had his 10-week prison sentence for assault suspended for two years Amesbury, formerly of Labour but now serving as independent MP for Runcorn and Helsby, was jailed on Monday for drunkenly punching a constituent in the street after an argument On Wednesday the honorary recorder of Chester imposed another sentence of 10 weeks’ imprisonment but suspended it for two years He also ordered Amesbury to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work undertake a 120-day alcohol monitoring requirement go on an anger management course and complete 20 days of rehabilitation work The sentence leaves the 55-year-old politician at risk of being ousted if his constituents back a petition calling for a byelection told the appeal hearing that the “public shaming” and “embarrassment” had had a huge impact on Amesbury which is an experience he will never forget “This is a man who will certainly rehabilitate Amesbury pleaded guilty in January to assaulting Paul Fellows, 45, after a row in the street in Frodsham, Cheshire Footage played again in court showed Amesbury punching Fellows to the head then following him on to the road and punching him again at least five times Amesbury was then heard saying: “You won’t threaten your MP again will you The judge said it was “a very fine line” on sentencing without in any way criticising the original sentence of 10 weeks because of the important change in the last three to four days you are a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and therefore we will suspend the sentence for two years.” The appeal hearing was told Amesbury initially claimed he had been approached by a man “shouting and screaming” about local and national matters including a local swing bridge and immigration he told police: “I thought I was about to be physically assaulted by this male I was terrified and felt vulnerable and cornered by the male and others in the group.” He said the man’s “arms were swinging” and he thought there was no option but to “defend” himself The judge said: “What he said to police doesn’t seem to fit in with the CCTV in pretty well any respect.” He said Amesbury had told police a “pack of lies” The former Labour MP has been sitting as an independent for the Cheshire seat since he was suspended by Labour after his arrest last year There is no automatic suspension for MPs serving a custodial sentence although there have been calls for Amesbury to resign so that a byelection can be held said on Tuesday she wanted Amesbury to resign or face recall “so that we can have a new MP in place” She told the BBC: “I want to see the people of Runcorn get new representation as swiftly as possible.” Amesbury arrived at Chester crown court in a prison van and was led into the building in handcuffs by an officer He had been jailed at Chester magistrates court by the deputy senior district judge Tan Ikram who told him: “You were out drunk in the early hours Being in drink is no excuse and as a member of parliament you could reasonably expect robust challenge from constituents and members of the public “You continued the attack whilst the victim was on the ground This incident may well not have come to an end had the bystander not intervened Your conduct would have had impact on others watching on admitted the charge after punching a man to the ground on a night out in Frodsham has been sentenced to 10 weeks in prison for punching a man to the ground The Labour party said Amesbury’s constituents “deserved better” by means of a “new Labour MP” after the sentence which appeared to blindside Amesbury and his legal team Police interviewed the 55-year-old after MailOnline published footage of the incident, which took place on Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire in the early hours of 26 October last year The judge told him he would serve 40% of the term in jail and the rest on licence Ikram said: “You were out drunk in the early hours Being in drink is no excuse and as a member of parliament you could reasonably expect robust challenge from constituents and members of the public “Your reference to being a member of parliament in the aftermath brings negative impact to the office you are privileged to hold Your profile and position of power as a servant of the people ought to be a role model to others That is something you have to be mindful of in all that you do.” The conviction could pave the way for a byelection in Amesbury’s constituency He won his seat at the last general election 235 days ago The court heard Amesbury had been drinking before he arrived at a taxi rank where Fellows approached him to remonstrate about a bridge closure in the town Footage showed Amesbury punching Fellows to the head then following him on to the road and starting to punch him again He was then heard saying: “You won’t threaten your MP again will you The sentence was met with apparent shock in the courtroom asked the judge: “Is that an immediate sentence?” The judge nodded Derby then requested the judge come back into court as he wished to make an application for bail for Amesbury paused briefly and said: “Application refused.” A byelection would be triggered if Amesbury resigns as MP As Amesbury’s sentence is less than a year he is allowed to continue as an independent MP during any appeals he might make but if those appeals are unsuccessful he would then be subject to a recall petition The petition would be open for six weeks and 10% of voters in his constituency would need to sign it to remove Amesbury as MP The Conservative party co-chair Nigel Huddleston called for Amesbury to resign. “It is right that Mike Amesbury MP has pleaded guilty for his inappropriate actions,” he said on X “The residents of Runcorn and Helsby deserve an MP who is able to stand up for them in parliament Mike Amesbury should do the right thing and resign.” A Labour party spokesperson said: “The Labour party took swift action following Mike Amesbury’s completely unacceptable actions and he is no longer a Labour MP or a member of the Labour party It is right that Mr Amesbury pleaded guilty and has now been sentenced “Local residents in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency deserved better and we look forward to them getting the representation they deserve in the future with a new Labour MP.” A ONE-year-old child suffered “life-changing” injuries in a crash near Amesbury The incident happened near the Bulford junction of the A303 at around 5.30pm on Thursday (March 28) Police said a grey Skoda Karoq joined the A303 eastbound at the Amesbury Road junction and collided with a white Peugeot 208 travelling in the same direction “This has caused the Peugeot to spin onto the westbound carriageway through the gap in the barriers for the Allington track colliding head on with a silver Volvo V70 travelling in the opposite direction,” a spokesperson said suffered injuries which are serious but not thought to be life-threatening suffered injuries which are not thought to be life-changing suffered reportedly minor injuries.” The road was completely closed in both directions to allow for recovery to take place should contact the Serious Collision Investigation Team on 01225 694597 They can also email SCIT@wiltshire.police.uk Amesbury is facing calls to step down as an MP after being jailed for 10 weeks on Monday Yvette Cooper has supported critics who say a former Labour MP who was jailed for punching a constituent should be stripped of his pay while behind bars The home secretary agreed it is “unacceptable” that under parliamentary rules Runcorn and Helsby MP Mike Amesbury will continue to receive his full £91,000 salary during his 10-week imprisonment for assault Asked by the BBC’s Emma Barnett: “Can you believe he is on full pay?” Ms Cooper replied: “Everything that has happened is unacceptable here. It is why the Labour Party took action immediately to stop him being a Labour MP and stop him being in the Labour Party.” Ms Cooper again commented on Amesbury’s pay when pressed about the issue on the Today programme Ms Barnett said: “He’s an MP, and I know you just said that is unacceptable.” Ms Cooper replied: “Yes, the exchange follows the disclosure that Commons rules mean an MP who is jailed does not automatically lose their pay.” “I think the Runcorn constituents deserve better and we want to see a new MP in place as swiftly as possible,” she added On Monday he was sentenced to 10 weeks in jail, which will trigger a recall petition and pave the way for a by-election It has since emerged that Amesbury will continue being paid his salary until he ceases to be an MP which would follow the six-week recall petition period and could see him paid as much as £10,500 as well as his pay accrued during the appeals process Critics have rounded on the MP after the sentence, urging him to “do the honourable thing” and step down immediately so a by-election can be held A spokesperson for Reform UK, which would be Labour’s main challenger in a by-election to take the seat agreed that Amesbury “should not be paid whilst he sits in jail” Amesbury’s constituents told The Independent he would not welcomed back as an MP as they urged him to step down Senior Labour figures, including now leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell, have previously spoken out about MPs being paid behind bars After Fiona Onasanya, in 2019, became the first sitting MP to be jailed in 30 years, for perverting the course of justice after lying to police over a speeding ticket, Ms Powell said the public would be “outraged” she was still being paid in prison while the Labour Party urged her to resign former chair of the committee on standards in public life Sir Alistair Graham called for her pay to be blocked Amesbury’s sentence came after he pleaded guilty earlier this year to assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows The incident occurred in Main Street in Frodsham he was approached by Mr Fellows who began to remonstrate about a bridge closure in the town Footage showed Amesbury punch Mr Fellows to the head then follow him onto the road and start to punch him again The court heard Mr Fellows had an injury to his head and reported a headache as well as a superficial graze to his elbow Amesbury said he had acted in self-defence and suggested he felt “threatened” and “intimidated” Speaking outside court after entering his guilty plea Amesbury said: “I’m sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.” He was ordered to pay £200 compensation to Mr Fellows Amesbury’s future as an MP is in doubt despite his lawyer indicating that he will appeal his sentence and if 10 per cent of his constituents sign it Labour has said he will not be admitted back into the party, suggesting they will stand another candidate in a contest to replace him – which represents a major challenge for Sir Keir Starmer as he looks to fend off Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Reform UK chair Zia Yusuf said: “The great people of Runcorn deserve far better than waiting six weeks for a recall petition to take place. “We call on Mike Amesbury to do the honourable thing and resign immediately so a by-election can be held.” Labour has officially triggered the by-election to replace Mike Amesbury following his resignation after he received a suspended prison sentence for punching a constituent Business in the House of Commons on Tuesday started with Government chief whip Sir Alan Campbell asking for the writ for the vacant Runcorn and Helsby seat to be issued on March 26 The by-election has to take place between 21 and 27 working days from the issuing of the writ It will represent the first by-election test for Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party Mr Amesbury won the seat last year with a majority of 14,696 over Reform UK Sir Alan told the Commons: “I beg to move that on 26th day of March 2025, Mr Speaker do issue his warrant to the clerk of the crown to make out a new writ for the electing of a member to serve this present Parliament in the county constituency of Runcorn and Helsby in the room of Michael Lee Amesbury who since his election for the said county constituency has been appointed to the Office of Steward and Bailiff of His Majesty’s Three Chiltern Hundreds of Stoke Desborough and Burnham in the county of Buckinghamshire.” Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle repeated the text of the motion, with MPs agreeing to it. An MP cannot simply resign from the Commons but instead they are disqualified as a result of being nominally appointed as either the Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds or the Manor of Northstead. Former Labour MP Mr Amesbury was given a 10-week prison term after punching a constituent, which was reduced to a suspended sentence after an appeal, leaving him at risk of being ousted from Parliament through the recall process. Mr Amesbury pleaded guilty in January to assaulting constituent Paul Fellows, 45, after a row in the street in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of October 26. Member for Runcorn and Helsby quits two weeks after receiving a suspended sentence for punching a constituent Mike Amesbury has resigned as an MP after being given a prison sentence for punching a constituent triggering the first byelection of Keir Starmer’s government The Runcorn and Helsby MP was suspended by Labour and lost the party whip in October after a video of the incident on a night out was published online. He was given a 10-week prison sentence Amesbury told the BBC he would “step aside at the earliest opportunity” Since it became clear that he would have to resign or face a recall petition Labour has been planning for a byelection in the Cheshire seat which it won at the general election with a 14,696 majority Nominations for a candidate opened last week and the application process closed days later with a selection meeting in the constituency expected on Thursday After a difficult first six months in power Labour has been buoyed in recent weeks by Starmer’s handling of complex geopolitics around the war in Ukraine acting as a bridge between European nations and the unpredictable US president The byelection will also be the first big test for Reform UK since its surge in the national polls and it has already started campaigning in the area Nigel Farage’s party has been mired in chaos in recent days with a fierce clash at the top leading to Rupert Lowe losing the whip who finished only two points behind Reform last July also face their first big byelection challenge under Kemi Badenoch potentially highlighting her failure to rebuild support and adding credibility to Reform’s claims it could displace the Tories as the main party of the right a professor of politics at Manchester University said: “Labour have a 35 point majority in Runcorn and Helsby He said the constituency would fall on a 17.5-point swing away from the government Starmer achieved six swings of 20 points or more in the previous parliament with Labour about as unpopular now as its Conservative predecessors were then “A Labour defeat to Reform would be a big blow to morale and intensify internal arguments over how to respond to Farage particularly as it would come either soon before or soon after local and mayoral contests which will also feature Reform heavily,” he said “A Reform byelection win on such a big swing would be a huge deal for Farage demonstrating his claim to be ‘coming for Labour’ is credible and likely also showing that Reform can squeeze third-placed Conservative voters where they are the best placed local opponent to Labour.” Labour sources cautioned that the byelection would be “very “We have had to do a lot of tough stuff early on as part of a long-term plan,” one said In his first interview since the sentencing Amesbury told the BBC he regretted attacking his constituent Paul Fellows “every moment He would have tried to stay in the job had he been given a lighter community sentence “I’m going to step aside at the earliest opportunity,” he said there’s a statutory process in terms of redundancies.” He described the fallout from his court case as difficult but said he owned his mistake He defended continuing to take his MP’s pay – despite not appearing in the Commons since the video of the assault first emerged – saying he carried out casework for his constituents even while behind bars He also rejected suggestions he had been treated lightly in having his sentence suspended saying he was “going to lose the family home” his livelihood and walk away with a criminal record Amesbury spent three nights in jail after his 10-week sentence was handed down at Chester magistrates court on 24 February Chester crown court later suspended his sentence allowing him to serve his time in the community he must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work go on an anger management course and carry out 20 days of rehabilitation work Amesbury was first elected to parliament in 2017 to represent the Weaver Vale constituency and served in a number of frontbench positions between 2018 and 2023 under Starmer and Jeremy Corbyn Mike Amesbury has been MP for Runcorn and Helsby since 2017 (Alamy) Labour MP Mike Amesbury has announced he will stand down as an MP "as soon as possible" and trigger the first by-election since Labour got into government last July Amesbury pleaded guilty in January to assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows in a Cheshire street after he was filmed attacking Fellows and warning him that " you won't threaten your MP again will you?" He became an independent MP after losing the Labour whip as a result of the incident. However, the MP avoided jail after winning an appeal against his 10-week prison sentence. Amesbury has been the MP for Runcorn and Helsby since 2017 and will now begin the "statutory process" of resigning as an MP "as soon as possible". A by-election will therefore be held in his seat where Reform UK came second in the 2024 general election The contest could be the first major electoral test for Keir Starmer's Labour government and a measure of whether Reform has gained significant popularity since last summer PoliticsHome provides the most comprehensive coverage of UK politics anywhere on the web, offering high quality original reporting and analysis: Subscribe Are you looking to engage with the most influential people in UK politics PoliticsHome & The House Magazine organise a number of industry leading political events throughout the year Get daily news alerts and weekend round-ups straight to your inbox © Political Holdings Limited document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); Mike Amesbury was handed a 10-week jail sentence on Monday Suspended Labour MP Mike Amesbury has avoided jail after winning an appeal against his 10-week jail sentence for punching a man in the street his 10-week sentence will now be suspended for two years meaning he will not be jailed unless he commits any more crimes within that period who has been the MP for Runcorn and Helsby since 2017 pleaded guilty last month after assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows in a Cheshire street He became an independent MP after losing the Labour whip as a result of the incident. The court heard that the MP had consumed alcohol before attacking Fellows and was then heard warning him "won't threaten your MP again will you." A by-election could take place in Amesbury's constituency following his sentence He won the seat with a 14,696 majority at the July general election Nigel Farage's Reform UK came second Are you looking to engage with the most influential people in UK politics? PoliticsHome & The House Magazine organise a number of industry leading political events throughout the year. Get daily news alerts and weekend round-ups straight to your inbox. Registered in England & Wales under No. 07291783 The move sets up a crunch by-election for Sir Keir Starmer Mike Amesbury is quitting as an MP in a move which will see Sir Keir Starmer face off with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in his first by-election as prime minister The suspended Labour MP was last month given a 10-week suspended prison sentence for drunkenly punching a constituent multiple times in the street In an interview with the BBC, Amesbury said he was going to step down from parliament “as quickly as possible”. “I'm going to step aside at the earliest opportunity,” he said, adding: “I’ve got processes I must go through – there’s a statutory process in terms of redundancies.” Defending his decision to continue taking his MP salary while behind bars, Amesbury said he “actually picked up some casework in prison”, adding that his office manager forwarded on “correspondence”. “Life doesn’t stop as an MP,” he said. He spent three nights in jail after pleading guilty earlier this year to assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows but was released after successfully appealing the sentence. The decision sets up a difficult by-election in Runcorn and Helsby for Sir Keir, with Labour’s poll ratings having plunged amid a slew of “difficult decisions” by the PM since the general election. The northwest seat will be a prime target for Mr Farage’s Reform, with pollsters already saying it is the insurgent right-wing party’s to lose, having surged in the polls since the general election. But, in a reprieve for Labour, it comes amid a damaging bout of infighting between Reform leader Mr Farage and Rupert Lowe, one of five MPs elected for the party, who has now been suspended. Amesbury said he would have fought to stay on as an MP had he been given a lighter community sentence, but said he believed he had been “punished accordingly” for the drunken incident. In the interview, he said he will “lose the family home”, his livelihood and have to live with a criminal record. Amesbury pleaded guilty to assault in January, after he punched Mr Fellows, 45, following a disagreement in the street over a bridge closure. The incident occurred on Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of 26 October, after Amesbury had been drinking. Upon arriving at a taxi rank, he was approached by Mr Fellows, who began to complain about a bridge closure in the town. Footage showed Amesbury punch Mr Fellows in the head, knocking him to the ground, then follow him onto the road and start to punch him again, at least five times. He was heard saying: “You won't threaten your MP again will you, you f****** soft lad?” Amesbury said, when arrested, that he had acted in self-defence and suggested he felt “threatened” and “intimidated”, the court heard. He has been ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, undertake a 12-month alcohol monitoring requirement, go on an anger management course and carry out 20 days of rehabilitation work. He was set to face a recall petition, which would have led to a by-election had 10 per cent of his constituents signed. But Amesbury made the decision to quit before being forced out by voters. His conviction is likely to pave the way for a by-election in a new blow for Sir Keir Starmer Suspended Labour MP Mike Amesbury has been jailed for 10 weeks for punching a man following a row in the street and taunting “you won’t threaten your MP again will you?” The Runcorn and Helsby MP, who has been sitting as an independent since he was suspended following his arrest in October last year had pleaded guilty earlier this year to assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows His conviction is a fresh headache for Sir Keir Starmer who is currently battling poor approval ratings with a by-election now likely in the constituency The incident occurred in Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of October 26, after Amesbury had been drinking. Upon arriving at a taxi rank, he was approached by Mr Fellows who began to remonstrate about a bridge closure in the town. Footage showed Amesbury punch Mr Fellows to the head, knocking him to the ground, then follow him onto the road and start to punch him again, at least five times. Members of the public restrained Amesbury and one was heard to say: “You’ll never be MP after tonight, mate.” The court heard Mr Fellows had an injury to his head and reported a headache, as well as a superficial graze to his elbow. When arrested, Amesbury said he had acted in self-defence and suggested he felt “threatened” and “intimidated”, the court heard. Speaking outside court after entering his guilty plea, Amesbury said: “I’m sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.” The politician was warned during his last court appearance that all sentencing options would be considered, ranging from a community order to a prison sentence. Deputy senior district judge Tan Ikram said a pre-sentence report found the offence was committed as a result of “anger” and “loss of emotional control”. The report recorded that Amesbury was remorseful and assessed him as being at a low likelihood of reoffending, but said there was a medium risk of causing serious harm to the public if he did. Mr Ikram said: “I have to say I have seen a single punch to the head cause fatal injury in previous cases I have dealt with, but of course I note the limited injuries in this case.” He said the attack was unprovoked, adding: “As a member of parliament you could reasonably expect robust challenge from constituents and members of the public.” Mr Ikram said Amesbury continued the attack and it “may well not have come to an end” had bystanders not intervened. Sentencing him at Chester Magistrates’ Court, Mr Ikram said: “In this case an immediate custodial sentence is, in my judgment, necessary as a punishment and a deterrent.” Richard Derby, representing Amesbury, asked the judge: “Is that an immediate sentence?” Amesbury was joined in the dock by two security guards who took him down to the cells. From there he will be taken to HMP Altcourse in Liverpool. Unlike many defendants, he did not appear to have brought a bag of belongings with him. Mr Derby then requested the judge come back into court as he wished to make an application for bail for Amesbury, pending an appeal against his sentence. Judge Ikram returned to court, sat down, paused briefly and said: “Application refused.” Residents of Amesbury’s constituency “deserved better”, the Labour Party said. A Labour spokesperson said: “The Labour Party took swift action following Mike Amesbury’s completely unacceptable actions and he is no longer a Labour MP or a member of the Labour Party. It is right that Mr Amesbury pleaded guilty and has now been sentenced. “Local residents in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency deserve better and we look forward to them getting the representation they deserve in the future with a new Labour MP.” Alison Storey, senior specialist prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service's special crime division, said: “This was a persistent assault by Mike Amesbury which continued while the victim was on the floor, offering no aggression. “The victim was alone and not part of a group, and CCTV footage showed that he was not being threatening or aggressive towards Mike Amesbury. “After the initial punch which knocked the victim to the ground, Mike Amesbury struck the victim at least a further five times while he was on the floor. “The CPS will always seek to prosecute violent offences in accordance with our legal test regardless of who the perpetrator is.” Reform UK chair, Zia Yusuf, said: “Today, Mike Amesbury has been sentenced to 10 weeks in prison. The great people of Runcorn deserve far better than waiting six weeks for a recall petition to take place. “We call on Mike Amesbury to do the honourable thing and resign immediately so a by-election can be held.” Should a by-election take place in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency, Reform and the Conservatives would be hoping to overturn Labour’s majority of 14,696. Mike Amesbury has written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves to formally resign as the MP for Runcorn & Helsby after he was handed a suspended prison sentence for punching a man in the street The former Labour MP was given a 10-week prison term after punching a constituent, which was reduced to a suspended sentence after an appeal, leaving him at risk of being ousted from Parliament through the recall process Mr Amesbury pleaded guilty in January to assaulting constituent Paul Fellows, 45, after a row in the street in Frodsham, Cheshire, in the early hours of October 26. “It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you of my decision to resign from the House of Commons by accepting an office under the Crown,” he wrote in the letter. “This step, though immensely difficult, is the honourable course of action that I believe is in the best interests of my constituents— whom I have been proud to represent throughout my tenure.” He said he had “endeavoured to give a voice to the voiceless” during his time in Parliament. But he said he acknowledged that his time as an MP “has been curtailed by a mistake for which I have taken full responsibility, both before the judiciary and now in this chamber”. “I offer my sincerest apologies to Mr Fellows, his family, my own family, my constituents, and to Parliament as a whole,” he added. He won his seat last year with a majority of 14,696 over Reform UK, and his resignation will be a first by-election test for Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party. Footage showed Mr Amesbury punching Mr Fellows to the head, knocking him to the ground, then following him on to the road and starting to punch him again, at least five times. Larissa Howie | Monday 24 March 2025 11:04 GMT Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury, who was jailed for drunkenly punching a constituent, has revealed the alcohol monitoring tag he must wear for 120 days in an interview on Good Morning Britain Amesbury was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison, later reduced to a suspended sentence following an appeal, for assaulting Paul Fellows, 45, in Frodsham, Cheshire last October. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, 12 months of alcohol monitoring, anger management, and 20 days of rehabilitation. Amesbury vowed to stay alcohol-free longer than the conditions of his sentence, telling presenters Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid, "I intend to go beyond 120 days." Kim Kardashian wears Marilyn Monroe’s dress As Baltimore begins the process of planning to replace the Francis Scott Key Bridge, labor experts have pointed to how Latino workers will be the one who rebuild it. 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Prince Louis caught brushing down Price Williams jacket during VE Day celebrations The 1998 diesel has been converted into a stylish two-bed Beckham luciendo su peinado mohicano antes de un amistoso internacional contra México en 2001 The former Labour politician for Runcorn and Helsby was on Monday handed a 10-week prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to punching a man in the street But after appealing the sentence at Chester Crown Court today During the ex-Labour man’s appeal hearing today Judge Steven Everett imposed another 10-week prison sentence – but suspended it for two years Amesbury will be expected to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work undertake both a 12-month alcohol monitoring programme and an anger management course and do 20 days of rehabilitation work without in any way criticising the original settee of 10 weeks because of the important change in the last three to four days you are a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and therefore we will suspend your sentence for two years Already a subscriber? Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3 Already a subscriber? Disgraced politician has been called on to step down from the Runcorn and Helsby seat The former Labour MP Mike Amesbury has walked free from prison after winning an appeal against his 10-week sentence for punching a constituent to the ground during a drunken row The Runcorn and Helsby MP returned to Chester Crown Court in a prison van on Thursday after he was dealt an immediate jail term on Monday which saw him spend three nights at HMP Altcourse honorary recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett described the politician’s three nights in prison as an unforgettable experience and promised: “This is a man who will certainly rehabilitate He ignored questions from the media about whether or not he would resign Amesbury pleaded guilty to assault in January, after he punched Paul Fellows, 45, following a disagreement in the street over a bridge closure The incident occurred in Main Street in Frodsham, Cheshire he was approached by Mr Fellows who began to complain about a bridge closure in the town He was heard saying: "You won't threaten your MP again will you that he had acted in self-defence and suggested he felt “threatened” and “intimidated” Amesbury has been ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work undertake a 12-month alcohol monitoring requirement His sentence leaves the former Labour politician at risk of being ousted if his constituents back a petition calling for a by-election Constituents have expressed their anger about Amesbury’s actions telling The Independent: “I absolutely would not welcome him back as an MP.” Some people even said that 10 weeks wasn’t long enough but I'm glad he's actually been punished in some way.” When he was sentenced at Chester Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Tanveer Ikram said: “In this case an immediate custodial sentence is necessary as a punishment and a deterrent.” Amesbury’s defence lawyer requested the judge come back into court so he could make an application for bail for Amesbury The MP has been sitting as an independent since he was suspended from the Labour Party following his arrest in October last year It is understood he will not be reinstated to the party MPs have called on Amesbury to “do the honourable thing” and step down immediately so a by-election can be held Critics were outraged when it emerged Amesbury would continue to earn his £91,000 salary until he ceases to be an MP Home secretary Yvette Cooper said on the Today programme: “Everything that has happened is unacceptable here. It is why the Labour Party took action immediately to stop him being a Labour MP and stop him being in the Labour Party.” Following Thursday's hearing, a Labour Party spokesperson repeated a statement made earlier this week in which they said: "Local residents in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency deserved better and we look forward to them getting the representation they deserve in the future with a new Labour MP." Amesbury, who was the MP for Runcorn and Helsby told ITV's Good Morning Britain that he lashed out after consuming six or seven pints of beer in three pubs on an "empty stomach" following a busy work day on a Friday Speaking to Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley on GMB he said: “I did feel personally threatened at that time and I made an instantaneous judgment call which was wrong The 55-year-old pleaded guilty in January to assaulting his constituent Paul Fellows He was given a 10-week prison term and spent three days behind bars before it was reduced to a suspended sentence following an appeal and has since and has resigned from Parliament He told GMB: “I’m a living visual example of the consequences of using violence that Mr Fellows didn’t bang his head on the floor and kill (himself) I’ve never been in trouble with the police before.” Footage showed Amesbury punching Mr Fellows to the head who said “I am being punished and rightfully so" placed the incident at a time when the Labour Government were having “a tough time in Parliament” and people were “quite vexed” over various issues including winter fuel He said the situation makes you feel “somewhat anxious” telling the programme: “Lots of members of Parliament have got personal alarms on them and so forth Asked if the amount of alcohol he had drunk that night had made him less able to control himself when he was faced by Mr Fellows Amesbury said he now wants to stop drinking so every now and again” he would let let his hair down particularly when things were quite stressful Amesbury said he has watched the footage of him hitting Mr Fellows but I don’t recognise myself and I find it quite traumatic I’ve had to watch that over and over again and rightfully so.” Amesbury spent three nights in HMP Altcourse before his 10-week sentence was suspended for two years Speaking on his experience in prison he said the people he shared a cell with were "a God sent" "But actually it was a helping hand on that first night in particular and they [cellmates] looked after me throughout "I mean everybody [watching TV in the prisons] had seen me and I was incredibly anxious about that." Amesbuery was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work He had been sitting as an independent for the Cheshire seat since he was suspended by the Labour party after his arrest last year He formally resigned as the MP for Runcorn & Helsby earlier this month and Labour has officially triggered the by-election to replace him Amesbury won the seat last year with a majority of 14,696 over Reform UK Mike Amesbury punched his constituent to the ground News | UK The man punched to the ground by Labour MP Mike Amesbury has spoken of his disbelief after his attacker walked free from court having successfully appealed his ten-week prison sentence The Runcorn and Helsby MP spent just three nights behind bars at HMP Altcourse before being brought back in handcuffs to Chester Crown Court on Thursday, where his immediate prison term was replaced with a ten-week sentence, suspended for two years The decision "felt sick" to 45-year-old Paul Fellows, the constituent whom Amesbury drunkenly punched in an unprovoked attack last October told The Mail on Sunday: "He could have killed me and deserves to be in prison He should never have been let out so early "I was standing on the pavement with my hands in my pockets when he punched me in the face I could easily have hit the back of my head as I fell into the road you have to accept the consequences – that you might kill them." Amesbury is currently sitting in Parliament as an independent MP after being suspended by Labour Mr Fellows is calling on the Prime Minister to change the rules so that MPs automatically lose their jobs if they are sent to prison said he had known Amesbury casually for years Labour MP's prison sentence suspended on appeal MP Mike Amesbury refuses to answer questions as he walks free from court Former Labour MP Mike Amesbury has prison sentence suspended Don’t miss this free immersive light experience at Westfield London In the early hours of October 26 last year he approached the MP outside a taxi rank to ask about the closure of a bridge in the town but Mr Fellows insists he was not threatening in any way and was simply making an enquiry He described how Amesbury began "rambling" incoherently and seemed irritated by the question Mr Fellows said: "The most I said after this was I didn’t say or do anything remotely threatening." Footage showed the men standing face to face as Amesbury pointed his finger at his constituent "I walked away at one point because I couldn’t be bothered with it and then he came back at me "It [the MP’s left hook] came from nowhere Amesbury rained down "five or six" blows before bystanders rushed to intervene Amesbury was then heard saying: "You won’t threaten your MP again will you the MP initially claimed he had acted in self-defence after being approached by a man “shouting and screaming” – an explanation dismissed in court as "a pack of lies." Mr Fellows says police wrongly told him there was no CCTV of the incident but footage from a minicab office captured the attack in detail He added that he felt the case "would have been dropped" had the footage not emerged and believes the MP was treated differently by police because of his position Honorary Recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett imposed another ten-week prison sentence but suspended it for two years a Labour member since he was 17 and an MP for the past eight years said his behaviour was "highly regrettable" and that he was "sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows." But Mr Fellows says: "I’ve not had any kind of personal apology anything in either writing or trying to contact me I felt like it was just purely for the media and the judge." Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications from nationalities most likely to overstay New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications worst and wackiest looks on the red carpet — Rihanna worst and wackiest looks on the red carpet WILTSHIRE Police has announced it will close both Amesbury Police Station and its Salisbury facility on Wilton Road as part of cost-cutting measures Both facilities are set to close by the end of April the Amesbury Neighbourhood Policing Team – who currently use the station as a touchdown point and detective cohort – will be based at Tidworth Police Station The Wilton Road police facility in Salisbury which has no teams permanently based there will close and the video interviewing facility there will be relocated to Tidworth The Devizes Borough Police Station will also close with the local policing team and detective cohort relocating to police headquarters in Devizes and a fully functional public front counter at the HQ will be delivered The move comes as the force scrambles to find an additional £5.2m in savings in 2025/26 Chief Constable Catherine Roper has said that communities will receive an enhanced offer from Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPT) across the county following the closures Wiltshire Police previously outlined how savings would be sought primarily through estate and vehicle rationalisation before considering a reduction in the number of police staff READ MORE: New £130,000 project to enhance Harnham green space begins today READ MORE: Farmers near Salisbury prosecuted for severe neglect after cattle found without water READ MORE: Amesbury rapist, Ben Churcher, jailed Chief constable Roper said: “As part of the review into how we deliver our service to the public due to the financial challenges we face we’ve identified several opportunities to make our community offer more supportive “I remain fully committed to ensuring our frontline resources are serving in the places our communities need us the most and that we will continue to transparently review how we operate to ensure we achieve this “Our NPT will be enhancing their visibility in our communities by increasing the use of our mobile police stations attending more local events and will continue to proactively publicise where they will be and how people can engage with them Ludgershall and surrounding areas have always been supported by our NPT which has deployed from Tidworth this NPT attended more than 500 community engagements across the area – including school visits drop-in sessions in local locations and attending community events I will be expecting these engagements to increase we will not close any police station which has a public front counter – the three facilities detailed here do not have any public access with the proposal to open a fully functional public front desk at our HQ site by the end of April we will be increasing the number of locations the public can access our services “We currently have 17 yellow phones outside police buildings across the county which have a direct line to our control room where the public can report crime and seek support “It is our intention to increase the number of yellow phones across Swindon and Wiltshire within the next 12 months “These changes form part of our drive to make our organisation more effective in delivering policing services across our county and Keeping Wiltshire Safe.” Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said the buildings were earmarked for closures anyway He said: “I fully support the chief constable’s considered approach which has been based upon operational need in ensuring Wiltshire Police remains visible and responsive to the needs of our communities – even in the face of significant financial challenges “While any change involves difficult decisions these buildings which were used for office space and with no public access “This approach ensures that frontline policing is protected and officers are deployed where they are needed most “The chief constable has assured me that these efficiencies will enhance community policing with an increased focus on neighbourhood engagement “I will continue to work closely with the Chief Constable providing challenge and scrutiny to ensure these plans deliver real we are committed to building trust and confidence in policing and engaged with the communities they serve “By improving how officers engage with communities and ensuring resources are used effectively more visible police presence across Wiltshire and Swindon The public can view the changes to our local policing footprint here The police could save money by having 1 brand of car instead of having premium brand cars i.e they have bmw Msport surely there is a more cheaper brand that has the same power output By-elections do not impact the level of public funding that parties receive. The major source of public funding for political parties is Short Money This is allocated to parties based only on a combination of the number of seats won and the number of votes received at the last general election – by-election results do not alter this calculation By-elections were relatively common in the 2019–24 parliament with 23 being held This was not an unusually large number by historical standards but 11 by-elections were triggered due to misconduct Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country Digital access for organisations. Includes exclusive features and content. See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times. Speaking for the first time since he was handed a suspended sentence, the Runcorn and Helsby MP said he will “step aside at the earliest opportunity." Mr Amesbury said: “I've got processes I must go through - there's a statutory process in terms of redundancies.” His resignation will trigger the first by-election of Sir Keir Starmer's Labour government The MP was given a 10-week prison sentence, suspended for two years after he admitted assaulting constituent Paul Fellows Mike Amesbury was caught on CCTV punching one of his constituents Paul Fellows repeatedly The 55-year-old politician said he "regrets" attacking Mr Fellows "every moment every day" and now faces losing "the family home" and his livelihood He said he will begin the "statutory process" of winding up his office in Cheshire before resigning "as soon as possible." Amesbury pleaded guilty in January to assaulting Mr Fellows showed Amesbury punching Mr Fellows to the head then following him onto the road and starting to punch him again The former Labour MP has been sitting as an Independent for the Cheshire seat since he was suspended by the party after his arrest last year Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Nick Ferrari At Breakfast is Leading Britain's Conversation Mike Amesbury has written to Chancellor Rachel Reeves to formally resign as the MP for Runcorn & Helsby The former Labour MP was given a 10-week prison term after punching a constituent which was reduced to a suspended sentence after an appeal leaving him at risk of being ousted from Parliament through the recall process Mr Amesbury pleaded guilty in January to assaulting constituent Paul Fellows "It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you of my decision to resign from the House of Commons by accepting an office under the Crown," he wrote in the letter Read more: Overhauling 'unsustainable' benefits 'makes moral and economic sense', ministers insist, amid brewing Labour revolt Read more: Teen driver who killed three friends, aged 16 and 17, in crash on way home from school faces years in prison is the honourable course of action that I believe is in the best interests of my constituents-whom I have been proud to represent throughout my tenure." He said he had "endeavoured to give a voice to the voiceless" during his time in Parliament But he said he acknowledged that his time as an MP "has been curtailed by a mistake for which I have taken full responsibility both before the judiciary and now in this chamber" "I offer my sincerest apologies to Mr Fellows and to Parliament as a whole," he added He won his seat last year with a majority of 14,696 over Reform UK and his resignation will be a first by-election test for Sir Keir Starmer's Labour Party Footage showed Mr Amesbury punching Mr Fellows to the head We provide bulletins and programmes for radio stations around the world who has been sitting as an independent since he was suspended following his arrest in October last year is due to appear at Chester Magistrates’ Court on Monday He pleaded guilty at a hearing in January to assaulting 45-year-old Paul Fellows in Main Street in Frodsham where Mr Fellows approached him to remonstrate about a bridge closure in the town He was then heard saying “you won’t threaten your MP again will you?” The court heard the sentencing guidelines for the offence ranged from a high level community order up to a prison sentence District Judge Tan Ikram told Amesbury he was “leaving all options open at this stage” Amesbury said: “I’m sincerely sorry to Mr Fellows and his family.” If Amesbury is sent to prison or given a suspended sentence he could face the prospect of losing his seat in the Commons would leave him liable to the recall process which would trigger a by-election if 10% of registered voters in his seat sign a petition calling for it A jail term of more than a year would mean Amesbury automatically losing his seat Speaking after the MP’s last court hearing a Labour Party spokesman said: “It is right that Mike Amesbury has taken responsibility for his unacceptable actions “He was rightly suspended by the Labour Party following the announcement of the police investigation We cannot comment further whilst legal proceedings are still ongoing.” liam gallagher is due to headline the music festival in bramham park on friday evening despite being fined by the metropolitan police for his birthday bash held in the cabinet room in june 2020 For breaking news and details of our latest offers If you are interested in receiving bulletins from Radio News Hub or would simply like to find out more please fill in the form below We operate on annual contracts - spread the cost is available Please check this box if you are happy for us to store your details for future contact