Labour MP Claudia Webbe’s harassment trial over ‘unwanted phone calls made to woman’ is adjourned after barrister falls ill
- Claudia Webbe was elected Labour MP for Leicester East in December 2019
- The 56-year-old MP has been charged with the harassment of Michelle Merritt
- Ms Webbe pleaded not guilty to one charge of harassment in November last year
A serving MP accused of harassment has had her trial adjourned after her barrister fell ill.
Claudia Webbe, who was elected Labour MP for Leicester East in December 2019, was due to stand trial today to face a single charge of harassment, which she denies.
The 56-year-old was set to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ court later today, charged with harassing a woman named Michelle Merritt.
Claudia Webbe was pictured this morning arriving at Westminster Magistrates’ court, where she is charged with harassing a woman named Michelle Merritt
Leicester East MP Claudia Webbe with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
Ms Webbe is charged with one count, that between September 1, 2018 and April 26, 2020, she pursued a course of conduct which amounted to the harassment of Michelle Merritt, which Webbe knew or ought to have known amounted to harassment.
The prosecution alleges that Ms Webbe made numerous unwanted telephone calls to Ms Merritt and made threats on at least two occasions.
Ms Webbe, who lives in Islington, north London, acknowledges calls were made but disputes the content. She pleaded not guilty to one charge of harassment in November last year.
Her solicitor Raj Chada told Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday that Webbe’s barrister was unable to attend the hearing, and asked for an adjournment.
Mr Chada, who represented Webbe, said the barrister had notified the defence team at 8.44am that he was ‘feeling unwell’ and was going to ‘call an ambulance’.
He told the court the message was the last communication they had with him, despite attempts to make contact since.
Chief magistrate Paul Goldspring agreed to adjourn the trial, adding: ‘It is clear the interests of justice are only met by granting an adjournment.’
Webbe, who was granted unconditional bail, is now due to stand trial at the same court on September 27. It is due to last one day.
Ms Webbe entered the Commons in the December 2019 general election, winning the seat formerly held by Keith Vaz, the Labour veteran who retired from Parliament in the wake of a scandal.
Ms Webbe chaired the party’s disputes panel under Jeremy Corbyn and previously examined the work of the Met as the force attempted to tackle gun crime among the black community.
The 56-year-old MP made a fashionable arrival in her polka skirt, ruffle blouse and blazer today
She was also head of the Trident independent advisory group for more than a decade.
In that role, Webbe would often comment publicly on the police force’s efforts to solve gun-related crimes which disproportionately affected black people.
Before Leicester, Ms Webbe was a councillor in Islington, between 2010 and 2018, and was a member of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee.
Earlier in her career she was a political adviser to then-London mayor Ken Livingstone.
Prior to this hearing, Ms Webbe had issued a public statement that said: ‘I am innocent of any wrongdoing and look forward to proving this in court. I will be vigorously defending myself against these claims.’
Ms Webbe, who was allowed unconditional bail ahead of her trial, was suspended from the party in September pending the outcome of the case.