Sir Keir Starmer speaks out over Mike Amesbury MP 'punch' footage

Video footage that appears to show MP Mike Amesbury punching a man to the ground is “shocking”, Sir Keir Starmer said as he defended Labour’s decision to suspend him.

The Prime Minister said the party had “moved very swiftly” to respond after the footage emerged.

Mr Amesbury was suspended by the party and lost the Labour whip on Sunday after a clip was published by MailOnline in which the Runcorn and Helsby MP is apparently seen continuing to hit the man lying on the ground as people nearby shout “Stop it”.

Sir Keir sidestepped a question about whether Mr Amesbury should resign as an MP but said: “I have seen the video footage, it’s shocking. We moved very swiftly to suspend him as a member and as a Member of Parliament.

“There is now a police investigation and in the circumstances you will appreciate there’s not much more I can say about that.”