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Labour inquiry amid Paul Farrelly fracas claims Paul Farrelly denies fracas claims amid Labour probe
(about 3 hours later)
Labour is launching an investigation after an MP was allegedly involved in a fracas with a colleague. An MP has denied claims made in a newspaper he had "squared up" to a colleague in a House of Commons fracas.
Paul Farrelly, the MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, denies claims in the Mail on Sunday saying he "squared up" to another MP. The Mail on Sunday reported Paul Farrelly, the MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, "launched a foul-mouthed tirade" at fellow Labour MP James Frith.
Labour said it would be launching an investigation after it received "a number of complaints."
Mr Farrelly confirmed he had "brief, cross words" with two Labour MPs.
The newspaper claims the incident happened in the voting lobby of the House of Commons after a late-night Brexit debate on Tuesday.The newspaper claims the incident happened in the voting lobby of the House of Commons after a late-night Brexit debate on Tuesday.
The BBC has contacted Mr Farrelly for a comment. It alleged it Mr Farrelly also confronted two other colleagues, Stoke-on-Trent North's Ruth Smeeth and Stoke-on-Trent Central's Gareth Snell.
The newspaper alleged Mr Farrelly "squared up" to and "launched a foul mouthed tirade" at fellow Labour MP James Frith after confronting two other colleagues, Stoke-on-Trent North's Ruth Smeeth and Stoke-on-Trent Central's Gareth Snell. They both declined to comment. Mr Frith said it would not be "appropriate" to comment.
A Labour spokeswoman said a number of complaints had been made to the party's chief whip Nick Brown and Mr Farrelly was now being investigated. Mr Farrelly said the Mail on Sunday's story "seems to boil down to something about queue-pushing in Commons vote last week, and I have no idea what that's about".
The events are alleged to have taken place after a long debate on the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill concluded at about 23:00 GMT. He said it was "the right thing to do" is to speak to Labour's Chief Whip about the alleged complaint.
'Open secret''Open secret'
Mr Farrelly told the newspaper: "I deny it. I don't even know who James Frith is."
Responding to allegations he launched a four-letter outburst at Mr Frith, he said: "That's not something I would say. That's absolute nonsense."Responding to allegations he launched a four-letter outburst at Mr Frith, he said: "That's not something I would say. That's absolute nonsense."
He also said he does not get on with Ms Smeeth and Mr Snell, whose Stoke constituencies border his in Newcastle-under-Lyme. He also said he does not "get on" with Ms Smeeth and Mr Snell, whose constituencies border his.
"In the corridors of the House of Commons, I had brief, cross words with my Labour next door neighbours Ruth Smeeth and Gareth Snell about their... 'name the Brexit date' amendments".
"The fact we don't get on is an open secret," he said."The fact we don't get on is an open secret," he said.
The Labour spokeswoman said: "A number of complaints have been made to the chief whip with regard to the behaviour of a Labour MP.The Labour spokeswoman said: "A number of complaints have been made to the chief whip with regard to the behaviour of a Labour MP.
"These are being investigated in line with the standing orders of the Parliamentary Labour Party."These are being investigated in line with the standing orders of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
"It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further on this matter.""It would therefore be inappropriate to comment further on this matter."