Disgraced MP should resign now, says home secretary

JAILED ex-Labour MP Mike Amesbury should resign or face a recall petition, the Home Secretary has said.

- By JOSEPH TIMAN & HELEN CORBETT

The disgraced Cheshire MP has been jailed for 10 weeks for punching a man after a row in the street.

The sentence leaves him at risk of being ousted if his constituents back a petition calling for a by-election but opposition parties have demanded his immediate resignation.

The Wythenshaweborn MP and former Manchester councillor has been sitting as an Independent for Runcorn and Helsby since he was suspended by the party after his arrest last year.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme yesterday the Home Secretary said: "I want to see him either obviously resign or face recall, and so that we can have a new MP in place."