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Labour suspends MP Jared O'Mara after comments | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Jared O'Mara has been suspended by Labour while it investigates comments he allegedly made, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has said. | |
The Sheffield Hallam MP, who was elected this year, faces claims he made misogynistic and homophobic remarks. | |
He has apologised for remarks made online in 2002 and 2004, but denies some more recent allegations. | |
The party is investigating "comments and behaviour which have been reported from earlier this year," it said. | |
On Monday, Mr O'Mara resigned from the women and equalities committee after political website Guido Fawkes unearthed offensive comments made by the 35-year-old MP online some time ago. | |
Then on Tuesday, Sophie Evans told the BBC's Daily Politics she had met Mr O'Mara on a dating app and there had been "no hard feelings" when things didn't work out between them. | |
But in an incident in March, Mr O'Mara, who was DJing in a nightclub, made comments to her that "aren't broadcastable" and called her an "ugly bitch", she said. | |
A spokesman for Mr O'Mara said the MP "categorically denies" the allegation. | |
Mr McDonnell told the BBC: "There will be a full investigation by the Labour Party and then, as a result of that, a final decision will be made about his future." | |
Asked about Labour colleagues that had defended Jared O'Mara in recent days, Mr McDonnell said: "They were basing that judgement on the information they had before them and the information that was provided to them by Jared himself and others. | |
"New information has come to light, so quite rightly the Labour Party has acted swiftly, he's been suspended, the whip has been withdrawn." | |
Labour's Shadow Education Minister Tracy Brabin said the party's suspension of Mr O'Mara was "probably a wise move". | |
Before the news broke, she had described Mr O'Mara's actions as "unpleasant and unacceptable", adding that the episode "doesn't look fantastic". | |
Also reacting to Mr O'Mara's suspension, the Conservative MP Suella Fernandez said: "A suspension is more than words, and that is the appropriate course of action." |