The son of shadow home secretary Diane Abbott is accused of punching and spitting at a police officer and biting his colleague in an incident outside the Foreign Office.

Cambridge law graduate James Adam Abbott-Thompson, 28, allegedly assaulted the two PCs on Friday afternoon when he went to the government department to visit a member of staff, a court heard.

Abbott-Thompson is accused of spitting in the face of one officer as well as punching him, and then attempting to hit a second officer whose thumb he allegedly then bit.

Abbott-Thompson, of Tottenham, was arrested and charged with two counts of assault by beating as well as a public order offence.

He denied the charges at a hearing at Westminster magistrates court on Monday.

Abbott-Thompson was set free on bail until a trial at City of London magistrates court on February 7 next year.

Ms Abbott, one of Jeremy Corbyn’s closest allies and the shadow home secretary since 2016, would have overall responsibility for police forces around the country if Labour were to win this month’s General Election.

Scotland Yard said in a statement about the alleged incident: “A man has been charged with assault following an incident at around 2.45pm on November 29 at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in King Charles Street, Westminster.

“James Adam Abbott-Thompson, 28, was charged on Sunday December 1 with two counts of assault by beating of an emergency services worker. He was further charged with an offence under Section 4 of the Public Order Act.

“He appeared in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday, December 2.

“He was granted bail and next appears at City of London Magistrates’ Court on February 7.”

Abbott-Thompson has been banned from going to the Foreign Office under the terms of his bail.