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Jared O'Mara quits Labour, saying he was 'made to feel like a criminal' Jared O'Mara quits Labour, saying he was 'made to feel like a criminal'
(7 months later)
Labour MP Jared O’Mara, who was suspended after abusive messages he had made on social media resurfaced, has resigned from the party.Labour MP Jared O’Mara, who was suspended after abusive messages he had made on social media resurfaced, has resigned from the party.
The Sheffield Hallam MP said in an open letter to his constituents that he had been “made unfairly to feel like a criminal” and felt that Labour had not conducted a fair investigation.The Sheffield Hallam MP said in an open letter to his constituents that he had been “made unfairly to feel like a criminal” and felt that Labour had not conducted a fair investigation.
He was reinstated by the party this month, with officials saying he should attend training and be given a formal warning over the string of homophobic and misogynistic comments he had made online in his 20s.He was reinstated by the party this month, with officials saying he should attend training and be given a formal warning over the string of homophobic and misogynistic comments he had made online in his 20s.
These included inviting members of Girls Aloud to an orgy and saying the musician Jamie Cullum should be “sodomised with his own piano”. He was also accused of shouting abuse at a woman he met on a dating app.These included inviting members of Girls Aloud to an orgy and saying the musician Jamie Cullum should be “sodomised with his own piano”. He was also accused of shouting abuse at a woman he met on a dating app.
O’Mara apologised for his behaviour when he was readmitted to the party, saying he was “ashamed of the man I was”, and revealing he had attempted suicide three times after the comments resurfaced.O’Mara apologised for his behaviour when he was readmitted to the party, saying he was “ashamed of the man I was”, and revealing he had attempted suicide three times after the comments resurfaced.
In his letter to his constituents, he said: “I would be lying to those of you whom I represent … if I continued under the pretence that I feel there is a place of acceptance and empathy for me as a working-class, underprivileged disabled man within the Labour party. I have experienced little to make me feel welcome, understood and accepted during this last year.In his letter to his constituents, he said: “I would be lying to those of you whom I represent … if I continued under the pretence that I feel there is a place of acceptance and empathy for me as a working-class, underprivileged disabled man within the Labour party. I have experienced little to make me feel welcome, understood and accepted during this last year.
“There is no doubt that I made mistakes as a young man using distasteful language as a clumsy attempt at satire and sarcasm online. But that does not mean that is who I am today.“There is no doubt that I made mistakes as a young man using distasteful language as a clumsy attempt at satire and sarcasm online. But that does not mean that is who I am today.
“I am sure that there may be many of us who have done things in our past which we wished we had never done. That said, you can’t take it away and I am truly sorry for any offence that I caused.”“I am sure that there may be many of us who have done things in our past which we wished we had never done. That said, you can’t take it away and I am truly sorry for any offence that I caused.”
O’Mara, who has cerebral palsy, was readmitted to Labour after the disputes panel on the party’s ruling national executive committee found that his case did not meet the threshold required for it to be referred for expulsion. He had waited more than nine months for a decision.O’Mara, who has cerebral palsy, was readmitted to Labour after the disputes panel on the party’s ruling national executive committee found that his case did not meet the threshold required for it to be referred for expulsion. He had waited more than nine months for a decision.
His shock victory over the former deputy prime minister and then leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, was one of the most memorable moments of the 2017 general election.His shock victory over the former deputy prime minister and then leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, was one of the most memorable moments of the 2017 general election.
But he had not yet given his maiden speech in the Commons when the controversy erupted. He will now sit as an independent MP until the next election.But he had not yet given his maiden speech in the Commons when the controversy erupted. He will now sit as an independent MP until the next election.
A Labour party spokesman said: “We’re disappointed Jared has decided to resign from Labour after we won the Sheffield Hallam seat from Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems last year. We wish him well for the future.”A Labour party spokesman said: “We’re disappointed Jared has decided to resign from Labour after we won the Sheffield Hallam seat from Nick Clegg and the Lib Dems last year. We wish him well for the future.”
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