Man apparently punched by Labour MP Mike Amesbury ‘in row over local bridge closure’ named

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Bystander footage had emerged the previous day in which Mr Amesbury appeared to stand over a man shouting: “You won’t threaten the MP ever again, will you?” The former shadow minister said in a statement on on Sunday that he had contacted Cheshire Police to report what had happened after he was “involved in an incident that took place after I felt threatened on the street following an evening with friends”. open image in gallery Paul Fellows was named as the man apparently punched by Mike Amesbury The man apparently punched by Mr Amesbury has now been named as 42-year-old Paul Fellows by The Times, which quoted a witness as saying that the pair had been arguing about Labour cutting the winter fuel allowance, and the temporary closure of a local bridge. Asked about the footage on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer described it as “shocking” and said the party had “moved very swiftly” to respond, adding: “There is now a police investigation and in the circumstances you’ll appreciate there’s not much more I can say about that.” The incident has sparked calls for Mr Amesbury to resign, with former Labour adviser Matthew Torbitt saying: “I know Mike quite well and when I heard the news on Saturday morning I was devastated to be honest with you, because I cannot put into words how out of character this is. open image in gallery MP Mike Amesbury has had the Labour whip suspended after footage appeared to show him punching a man to the ground “He’s gentle, he’s very kind, he’s very laid back.