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Twitter/Fiona Onasanya‏
UK News

Jailed Christian MP votes in Commons for first time since release

by Eno Adeogun

The member for Peterborough travelled to Parliament to vote against the Prime Minister's Brexit deal.

Ms Onasanya has faced calls to step down and allow a by-election to take place in her constituency - but has refused, and has maintained her innocence throughout her prosecution.

 

Ms Onasnaya was found guilty in December of perverting the course of justice and sentenced to three months in jail in January.

The 35-year-old solicitor, who was elected as a Labour MP, served less than four weeks for lying about who was driving her car when it was caught speeding in July 2017.

She served her sentence at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey and was released on 26th February.

If she had been sentenced to twelve months or more, she would have lost her parliamentary seat.

Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

Ms Onasanya submitted an appeal against her conviction, but it was thrown out by judge Sir Brian Leveson at the Royal Courts of Justice last week.

That decision enabled the House of Commons Speaker John Bercow to begin the formal process for a recall petition, which will allow her constituents to trigger a by-election if more than 10 per cent of local voters sign it.

Ms Onasanya would still be able to stand as a candidate if a by-election was triggered. 

The recall petition will be open for six weeks from 19th March until 1st May.

Ms Onasanya won the seat in the 2017 election with a narrow majority of 607, after defeating the Conservative incumbent Stewart Jackson.

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