Campaigners last night called for Labour’s domestic violence spokesman to step down after it emerged she was cautioned by police for hitting her ex-husband.

Friends of Graham Hoyland, 59, claim he was routinely ‘humiliated and abused’ by Sarah Champion, 47, during a tumultuous marriage.

The Rotherham MP ended up in a police cell after one tussle and both parties were cautioned.

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion ended up in a police cell after one tussle and both parties were cautioned

Mr Hoyland said: ‘I can confirm I was the victim of the attack by Sarah Champion. It’s embarrassing to have to admit your wife attacked you, but perhaps this is an issue that needs to be talked about.’

Yesterday the MP hit back, claiming she had been ‘provoked for years’ by her ex-husband, a best-selling author and mountaineer.

‘I’m not proud of what happened and I accept I was in the wrong, but I have nothing to hide,’ she said.

Miss Champion has been a vocal advocate for female victims of domestic violence and Mike Buchanan of the Justice for Men and Boys group said her position was untenable.

Couple: Graham Hoyland and new partner Gina Waggott pictured with TV presenter Clare Balding

‘Sarah Champion should stand down,’ he said. ‘If this was a male politician it would be inconceivable they could remain in this position having admitted that they have a caution for domestic violence.’

Brian Hitchcock of the charity Men’s Aid added: ‘Ministers should set the highest possible standards and if they break the law there is no place for them in government.’

He still has nightmares

Mark Brooks of Mankind, which helps male victims of domestic violence, said the MP would have to be ‘far more objective’ in her approach.

‘If over the next year she doesn’t change her mind-set and continues portraying domestic abuse as a problem just for women, she will need to consider her position.’

However, at Labour’s weekend women’s conference in Liverpool, party leader Jeremy Corbyn said Miss Champion had his ‘total, full and absolutely warm’ support.

The MP (pictured in 2015) hit back, claiming she had been ‘provoked for years’ by her ex-husband, a best-selling author and mountaineer

Friends have suggested the violent row during their 2007 divorce was not the only time she had hit Mr Hoyland.

Although she had ‘downplayed’ the dispute by claiming it was over a painting, the friend said it was in fact caused by her alleged failure to adhere to a pre-nuptial agreement, allowing her to walk away with a £200,000 divorce settlement.

‘They both received cautions, which was something Derbyshire Police did at the time. But there was no doubt that Graham had called 999 and was the victim.’

Sarah Champion when she was declared the winner of the Rotherham by-election

Mr Hoyland, of Chapel-in-the-Frith, Derbyshire, was the 15th Briton to climb Mount Everest and in 1999 he led an expedition that found the body of 1920s climber George Mallory. Miss Champion was the daughter of a friend.

‘In retrospect, Graham was stupid to marry Sarah,’ said the source. ‘She was an attractive, vivacious woman but also very harassing and abusive. He became terrified of her.’

Gina Waggott, Mr Hoyland’s partner of seven years, added: ‘He is very loving and caring and would never lay a finger on a woman. He still has nightmares about Sarah.’

Miss Champion said the 2007 row was ‘a slight altercation between a couple who were living in a very strained, unbearable atmosphere.

‘That’s not to say I’m making excuses for what happened but I was amazed when he called the police.

‘We were never really suited. Graham was so much older and we didn’t have much in common. I should have known it would never have worked.’