The news broke this morning that Labour MP Eric Joyce has been arrested on suspicion of assault in a House of Commons bar. Joyce, a former army officer, is alleged to have “head-butted and punched” Conservative MP Stuart Andrew in the Strangers Bar last night. PoliticsHome quotes one witness as saying that he “just started lashing out at people”.
He has been suspended from the Labour Party until the investigation ends. A party spokesman said:
This is an extremely serious incident. We have suspended Eric Joyce pending the results of the police investigation.
Subscribe to the New Statesman today and save 75%
Speaker John Bercow said: “Members will be aware of reports of a serious incident in the House last night. I have been informed by the Serjeant at Arms that the honourable member for Falkirk has been detained in police custody.
“The matter is being investigated. I take this matter very seriously, as do the House authorities.”
Joyce has been the MP for Falkirk (formerly Falkirk West) since 2000, where Labour currently has a majority of 7,843.
Content from our partners
Related
Join the debate
Subscribe here to comment