Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has backed calls for former Labour MP Mike Amesbury to be stripped of his salary while serving a prison sentence for assaulting a constituent.

Cooper agreed it is “unacceptable” that, under parliamentary rules, Amesbury—MP for Runcorn and Helsby—will continue receiving his full £91,000 salary during his ten-week imprisonment. When asked by the BBC’s Emma Barnett whether she was surprised he was still on full pay, Cooper responded, “Everything about this situation is unacceptable. That’s why the Labour Party acted immediately to remove him as an MP and expel him from the party.”

Pressed further on the issue on BBC Radio Four’s Today program, Cooper reiterated her stance, emphasizing that Commons rules do not automatically suspend an MP’s salary when they are jailed. She added, “The people of Runcorn deserve better, and we want to see a new MP in place as soon as possible.”

Amesbury was sentenced to ten weeks in prison on Monday, which will trigger a recall petition and could lead to a by-election, depending on whether he appeals. Under current rules, he will continue to receive his salary until he is officially removed as an MP, meaning he could still be paid up to £10,500, along with any earnings accumulated during the appeal process.

Following the sentencing, critics have urged Amesbury to resign immediately rather than wait for the recall petition process to play out. A spokesperson for Reform UK, Labour’s main challenger in a potential by-election, insisted, “He should not be paid while sitting in jail.” Constituents in Runcorn also told The Independent that he would not be welcomed back as their MP, adding to calls for him to step down.

This issue echoes previous controversies over MPs receiving salaries while incarcerated. When Labour MP Fiona Onasanya was jailed in 2019 for perverting the course of justice over a speeding offense, Labour called for her resignation, and then-MP Lucy Powell stated that the public would be “outraged” that she was still being paid in prison. Former committee on standards in public life chairman Sir Alistair Graham also argued at the time that her salary should have been blocked.

Amesbury’s conviction stems from an incident in Frodsham, Cheshire, on October 26, when he assaulted 45-year-old Paul Fellows. The court heard that, after drinking, Amesbury arrived at a taxi rank where Fellows confronted him about a local bridge closure. CCTV footage showed Amesbury punching Fellows in the head, knocking him to the ground, and then continuing to hit him at least five more times.

Fellows suffered a head injury, a headache, and a superficial graze on his elbow. Amesbury, who initially claimed he acted in self-defense, later pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay £200 in compensation.

Despite his lawyer indicating that an appeal is forthcoming, Amesbury’s future as an MP remains uncertain. If his appeal fails and 10% of his constituents sign the recall petition, a by-election will be triggered. Labour has made it clear he will not be allowed back into the party, meaning they will field a new candidate—posing a challenge for Sir Keir Starmer as he seeks to hold off Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.

Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf urged Amesbury to resign immediately, stating, “The people of Runcorn deserve better than waiting six weeks for a recall petition. He should do the honorable thing and step down now.”