UK: Labour MP Arrested Over Commons 'Bar Fight'

23.02.2012

Labour MP Eric Joyce has been arrested on suspicion of assault after an alleged fight at a bar at the House of Commons.

Police were called following an alleged disturbance at a bar in the Commons.

"The events as I understand it happened just after 11pm on Wednesday evening involving a number of people in this bar.

"Another MP, Stuart Andrew, Conservative MP for Pudsey, apparently has alleged he was assualted by Eric Joyce, that he may have been headbutted and punched by the Falkirk MP.

"He says he is planning to press charges."

Scotland Yard confirmed officers detained a man in his 50s. He is currently being held in custody at a central London police station.

Mr Joyce, the MP for Falkirk since December 2000, served in the Army Education
Corps before pursuing a career in politics.

In 2010 he resigned as shadow Northern Ireland minister after pleading guilty to failing to provide a breath test.

From 2003 Mr Joyce served as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to a number of government ministers.

Mr Joyce quit as the PPS to Bob Ainsworth in 2009 due to his concerns over the war in Afghanistan.

Prior to that he had been a parliamentary aide to John Hutton, including the period when he was defence secretary, Mike O'Brien and Margaret Hodge.