Ex-Runcorn MP Mike Amesbury urges Labour backbenchers to oppose welfare cuts

The former Runcorn MP Mike Amesbury has referred to as on Labour backbenchers to oppose wintry weather gasoline and welfare cuts, after the byelection in his former seat was once misplaced to Reform UK.

Amesbury, who stood down after he was once convicted of assaulting a constituent, stated he took accountability for his personal errors however stated effects up and down the rustic confirmed the federal government was once making “some big political mistakes”.

The former Runcorn and Helsby MP stated he had “paid a price” for punching the person after late-night consuming and misplaced his house and source of revenue and been hospitalised to care for his psychological well being.

Amesbury, a former shadow homelessness minister, stated he was once no longer shocked Reform UK received the byelection final week. It have been a big Labour majority however Nigel Farage’s celebration took the seat by way of simply six votes.

“Reform have been the beneficiaries really of some big political mistakes from the Labour government, and I sincerely hope that Keir [Starmer], the Labour prime minister, the chancellor, Rachel Reeeves, not only listen, but learn,” he stated.

“Constituents in Durham or elsewhere up and down the country didn’t vote that way because of my mistake. I live that moment every day of my life … if I could turn back the clock and change things, I’d have done the right thing and walked away.

“I’ve paid a price, and I’ll learn from those mistakes, and politically, I want this government to succeed. But if they carry on making political mistakes, winter fuel’s an obvious one but coming down the line is the personal independence payments.”

He advised BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday that extra Labour backbenchers will have to talk out. He stated: “You’re not being disloyal, but say, look, come on now, to the leadership. Just think again on this. If we’re serious about having two terms in the Labour government transforming this country for the better we’ve got to listen to the electorate, do the right thing.”

Amesbury stated he have been suffering with despair on the time of the incident and that he have been consuming closely that evening. He stated being taken to jail was once “surreal” and he had in the past advised his teenage son that he didn’t consider that will occur.

“I was taken down to the cells below the magistrates court, and I was in a cell just over six hours, and then immediately took my belt off me, all your personal belongings, so I couldn’t phone my wife or close friends,” he stated.

“But I was all over the TV, so my wife and friends and family knew that I was going to prison … It felt like a living nightmare, quite surreal. I almost felt like it was in some kind of a out-of-body experience.”

Amesbury was once given a 10 week sentence, suspended for 2 years. He stated he was once suffering to seek out paintings and that politics have been his best interest and ambition.

“The family home is on the market. I can’t afford that, and my income as a member is no longer there. That stops immediately the day you resign. In my circumstances, there’s no severance pay. I don’t know what the future holds. It’s been my life,” he stated.

“I recently had a spell in hospital and the psychologist said, what about interests and hobbies? I said politics. That’s what I did. That’s my life. I’m passionate about it.”

Amesbury stated he have been hospitalised for a length after the incident. “I needed support to get my health, as in my mental health, in a place where it needs to be, so I can start to rebuild my life,” he stated.

“I’ve tried to do everything quickly. Once I got out of prison, I needed some money. So far, quite a number of people said, Mike, you’re too hot to handle at the moment, and I get that.”

The well being secretary, Wes Streeting, stated on Tuesday the federal government had listened to electorate after Labour’s sweeping losses within the native elections. Speaking to LBC, he stated: “We’re under no illusion – and I think the voters have sent us a fundamental message ‘we voted for change with Labour last year – if you don’t deliver change, if we’re not feeling it, we’ll vote for change elsewhere’.

“So we’ve got that message loud and clear. We take the results on the chin. We’re back in parliament today, picking ourselves up, dusting ourselves down, and with things like the GP announcement today showing the country we’ve got the message, when the prime minister said ‘go further and faster’, we’re on the case.”