Labour MP Fiona Onasanya charged with perverting the course of justice

Labour MP Fiona Onasanya has been charged with perverting the course of justice after allegedly lying about speeding incidents.

The MP for Peterborough and her brother Festus Onasanya face charges that allege they each drove speeding vehicles on two separate occasions then falsely told the investigating authorities someone else was behind the wheel.

Formerly a solicitor working in commercial property law, Onasanya is a Labour whip. A party spokesman said: “It would not be appropriate to comment on an ongoing case.”

Onasanya took the marginal Peterborough seat from Conservative Stewart Jackson, who then served as David Davis’ special adviser until the Brexit Secretary resigned earlier this month. Peterborough had not been held by Labour since 2005, and Onasanya has a slim majority of just 607 votes.

Since appearing at the Wesminster Magistrates’ Court on 12th July, the MP has spoken in the chamber and been active on social media without mention of the charges. She is expected to appear at the Old Bailey on 13th August.

The speeding case is comparable to that of Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne, who was forced to resign from the coalition cabinet and as an MP when he pled guilty to falsely claiming his wife Vicky Pryce was the driver of a speeding car. Huhne served over two months in prison for perverting the course of justice.