The Labour Party has announced the formal suspension of Sheffield Hallam MP Jared O’Mara, over misogynistic and homophobic comments he made online over a decade ago.
O’Mara, who defeated former Liberal-Democrat leader and deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg at the June election had already offered an apology for his remarks and stood down from the Women and Equalities select committee earlier in the week.
Following calls for him to be suspended from his party from both sides of the house, including from Labour former shadow education secretary Lucy Powell, Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the whip had been withdrawn from O’Mara and that he’d been suspended from the party while an investigation was underway.
Speaking at a Labour party meeting Monday evening the left-wing politician apologised for his online postings and claimed to be a changed man. Yet according to a report by Westminster gossip blog Guido Fawkes, he also stands accused of having called one of his own constituents an “ugly bitch” as recently as this year.
O’Mara denies the claim.
In a statement published Monday, O’Mara said he was “deeply ashamed” and said he’d used the offensive remarks “at a particularly difficult time in my life”, but acknowledged that didn’t excuse the actions.
Follow Oliver Lane on Facebook, Twitter: Follow @Oliver_Lane or e-mail: olane[at]breitbart.com
//