Parliament's sleaze watchdog has been urged to investigate a senior Labour MP who reportedly used Commons notepaper to urge a judge to "make a fair decision" about sentencing her "beautiful" son for drugs offences.

Kate Osamor highlighted her then-role as shadow secretary of state for international development in the note sent in October and revealed on Tuesday by The Times.

Her son, Ishmael, who worked in her constituency office, pleaded guilty last year to four counts possession with intent to supply cocaine, MDMA, ketamine and cannabis at a festival.

The north London MP resigned from Labour's frontbench in December but has previously denied any wrongdoing.

On Monday, she released a statement apologising "if any of my actions or words have been misinterpreted by others in any way over recent months".


Image: Ishmael Osamor pleaded guilty to four counts of possession with intent to supply drugs

Labour officials previously said Ms Osamor was unaware of her son's case until after he was given a community sentence of 200 hours' unpaid work.

But a letter sent weeks earlier by Ms Osamor to the judge admitted that "after speaking with Ishmael I am without ambiguity that he is incredibly remorseful and willing to make reparations", The Times said.

"To do that he needs you to give him an opportunity to have a second chance," it reportedly continues.

"I implore you to recognise the power you yield with regard to the future of my beautiful son and make a fair decision."

My statement from the last few months. I am focused on my work for Edmonton. Thank you for all your support it means a lot to me. #solidarity pic.twitter.com/9b7gwDEZly — Kate Osamor🌹 || Labour & Co-op MP for Edmonton|| (@KateOsamor) January 21, 2019

Parliamentary rules state Commons stationery is "only for the performance of a Member's parliamentary function" and that "modest" use of it for "personal correspondence" is permitted.

Tory MP Simon Hoare told Sky News the matter "certainly warrants" an investigation by the parliamentary commissioner for standards.

He said: "I think you could easily make a case to say here is somebody in a position of some influence and the shadow cabinet writing to a judge in a way that seemed to bring a little bit of pressure - which was obviously resisted, potentially - on the judiciary.

"It's an understandable reaction of any parent to want to defend their children.

"I'm a father of three, we can call them out behind closed doors but we'll always defend them in public.

"That I understand, I'm not having a go at her for that.

"I think it's just a misjudgement and these sort of things can't just be left alone."

Ms Osamor's statement, released the night before the letter's publication, also said: "Whilst I am a devoted public servant to my constituents in Edmonton, I am first and foremost a mother.

"The issue concerning my son was and remains a private family matter. Nothing that my son did had impacted upon his work in my office of upon my work within the constituency."