[News] Mike Amesbury MP - Rocky VIII: Backbench Brawler

[Hotchilidog]

How he hasn't been expelled is a mystery.

 

[rippleman]

What he did was out of order, especially the follow up. However, I am not going to bay for blood until I find out what actually was said. Most, if not all of us, have a breaking point and the more primal part of the brain takes over once that has been reached. Until we know what was said I don't think we are in a position to say what he should have done with regard to de-escalating the situation. With all that said he shouldn't get away with it, but until the full context of the situation becomes clear I am not going to throw stones at him either.

Whatever was said does not excuse that violent and cowardly behaviour. He could just have walked away and, if necessary, called the old bill. There is never any excuse for violence on the streets like this.

Hope his constituents get a recall petition together and they kick him out. Then he should be getting a cell next to little Tommy R for the duration.

Another violent thug walking the streets we do not need.

 

[Professor Plum]

Who knows, we all have our triggers, some will have things that just push a button and the rational side loses control, and some people know exactly what to do and say to achieve this. I am not defending him, nor condoning his actions, but I am saying there could be mitigating circumstances, stuff between the two that we do not know about, and therefore unlike others I am not going to start chanting gaol him until we know the full context.

Yes, we all have triggers, and a minority of irrational people will even lose control and resort to physical violence. But people like that should not be in parliament passing legislation and (no doubt) pontificating on the bad behaviour of others.

 

[Professor Plum]

How he hasn't been expelled is a mystery.

There are procedures to go through to get rid of an MP. If 10,000 constituents sign a recall petition there can be another election held. I think if the MP is found guilty of a crime punishable by prison (not that they have to actually be sentenced to prison) they can also lose their seat. Usually what happens is that the MP agrees to resign. In the case of this bloke, he’s already been suspended by Labour but unless one of the above criteria apply, he’s free to continue as an independent MP. I suspect he’ll do this as he still has 5 years of a decent salary and generous expenses to collect.

 

[Zeberdi]

On top of the Labour MP, Mike Amesbury hitting the headlines this week in his Rocky Gets Drunk video, another distasteful story today of Aaron Bell when he was a Tory MP carrying out a sexual assault in the bar of the Commons while drunk.

Ex-Tory MP Aaron Bell carried out 'brazen and drunken' sexual misconduct in parliament bar, watchdog finds

Parliament's standards commissioner found Mr Bell "abused his position of power" as an MP - and that had he remained in the Commons, he could have been suspended for a "significant period".

news.sky.com

What’s happened to standards in public life? Has it always been like this? One MP assaulting someone violently and another committing sexual assault in the Commons bar…

 

[Dick Swiveller]

Martin Bell and Aaron Bell are two different people.

 

[Chicken Run]

On top of the Labour MP, Mike Amesbury hitting the headlines this week in his Rocky Gets Drunk video, another distasteful story today of Matin Bell when he was a Tory MP carrying out a sexual assault in the bar of the Commons while drunk.

Ex-Tory MP Aaron Bell carried out 'brazen and drunken' sexual misconduct in parliament bar, watchdog finds

Parliament's standards commissioner found Mr Bell "abused his position of power" as an MP - and that had he remained in the Commons, he could have been suspended for a "significant period".

news.sky.com

What’s happened to standards in public life? Has it always been like this?

 

[Man of Harveys]

Standards of NSC posters sadly lacking

 

[Bozza]

Society has a sprinkling of dodgy people, and they're going to find their way into many professions, unfortunately.

It's important not to tar everyone with the same brush when stories of bad characters come to public attention.

There are literally hundreds of MPs who are decent folk, working hard to serve their constituencies.

 

[Chicken Run]

Martin Bell and Aaron Bell are two different people.

Okay so who is Matin?

 

[The Clamp]

People are mental.

 

[Zeberdi]

Society has a sprinkling of dodgy people, and they're going to find their way into many professions, unfortunately.

It's important not to tar everyone with the same brush when stories of bad characters come to public attention.

There are literally hundreds of MPs who are decent folk, working hard to serve their constituencies.

No one is tarring anyone with the same brush but getting so drunk you end up sexually assaulting a woman in a working environment is not acceptable and is still an assault and still way below the standards you should expect from elected MPs - he would have been thrown out of the party probably if it weren’t for the fact he lost his seat before the investigation was complete.

Edit - Fully expecting the pro-Tory NSCers to troll me/this thread because apparently when the lowlife behaviour of one of their own comes to light they feel unable to condemn it.

The standards of both these MPs are sorely lacking - I am just asking if it has always been like this?

 

[Man of Harveys]

Okay so who is Matin?

Definitely a morning person

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Who knew power would attract wrong uns

 

[Bozza]

No one is tarring anyone with the same brush but getting so drunk you end up sexually assaulting a woman in a working environment is not acceptable and is still an assault and still way below the standards you should expect from elected MPs - he would have been thrown out of the party probably if it weren’t for the fact he lost his seat before the investigation was complete.

No one said it was acceptable, but your thread title is "Standard of MPs sorely lacking", posing the question "What’s happened to standards in public life?" which does, at the very least, suggest a belief at a more widespread problem.

Bad people will do bad things, regardless of where they work.

 

[fly high]

Okay so who is Matin?

He was a renowned BBC war correspondent to stood against Neil Hamilton in general election. Hamilton was allegedly accepting cash in brown envelopes. Bell won the seat.

 

[The Clamp]

Who knows, we all have our triggers, some will have things that just push a button and the rational side loses control, and some people know exactly what to do and say to achieve this. I am not defending him, nor condoning his actions, but I am saying there could be mitigating circumstances, stuff between the two that we do not know about, and therefore unlike others I am not going to start chanting gaol him until we know the full context.

Having seen the video, it’s a clear case of ABH.

There is no legal defence for that attack.


The guy he attacks is not a threat. He’s not in his face. He has his hands by his side / in his pocket. He is not in aggressive stance or advancing toward him.

Nobody is keeping Amesbury in that position. He could have backed off and walked away very easily, should he have wanted to.

Absolutely no need for a preemptive strike and zero defence for then going over and punching him on the ground.






He should go to jail.

He won’t.

But he should.

 

[Zeberdi]

Bad people will do bad things, regardless of where they work.

They do but they are not all living on the Tax payer‘s money, our elected representatives and supposedly setting standards of behaviour in public life.

 

[Albion my Albion]

Okay so who is Matin?

Matin is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:

• Abdul Karim Matin, Pashtun politician
• Abdul Matin (actor) (born 1980), Nepali actor
• Abdul Matin (language activist) (born 1926), Bangladeshi language activist
• Abdul Matin (poet), Indian poet
• Abdul Matin (politician), Bangladeshi politician
• Abdul Matin (Taliban leader), Afghan Taliban leader *****BOO!!!!!*****
• Ahmad Matin-Daftari (1897–1971), Iranian Prime Minister
• M. A. Matin (officer), Bangladeshi army officer
• M.A. Matin (politician) (died 2012), Bangladeshi politician

 

[Peteinblack]

Profumo scandal in the 1960s (Defence Minister who slept with 'call-girl' who was also sleeping with a Soviet diplomat, a major national security risk). Profumo exacerbated his treachery by lying in the House of Commons, initially denying any relationship with the call-girl.
George Brown often seriously/offensively drunk, as Foreign Secretary, at meetings with foreign ambassadors, diplomats and leaders mid-1960s.
John Stonehouse 'faking' his own death in mid-70s and creating a new identity to escape major debts.
Cecil Parkinson getting his secretary, Sara Keays, pregnant in the mid-80s, while Thatcher was preaching 'family values' and the sanctity of marriage.
Alan Clark sleeping with the wife of a South African High Court Judge and the two daughters in the mid-80s (family values of a kind, I guess!).
Ron Brown prosecuted for criminal damage late 1980s.
Several Tory MPs blackmailed into voting for Maastricht Treaty ratification in 1993 (whips threatened to reveal dirty secrets about their private lives if they didn't)
Peter Mandelson resigned twice as a Cabinet Minister under Blair due to serious irregularities over his conduct and financial dealings.
Chris Huhne imprisoned for 'perverting the course of justice' in 2003 (claimed his wife was driving, in order to avoid penalty points for speeding)
Several MPs involved in fraudulent expenses claims 2009 ('cleaning moats and duck pond'!).
Neil Parrish caught watching porn on his phone in the House of Commons, in the presence of disgusted women MPs, 2022.

Not sure that bad behaviour has actually increased, rather 24/7 media, social media, smartphones (covertly filming bad behaviour) and CCTV all makes us more aware of it, and it's 'good' media headlines or stories; the public love being shocked by a scandal.