Labour MP convicted of perverting course of justice compares herself to Jesus

A Labour MP convicted of perverting the course of justice has compared herself to Jesus and Moses.



Fiona Onasanya was yesterday found guilty of lying to police to avoid a speeding charge.

The Peterborough MP was immediately suspended by Labour, who called on her to resign her seat.

But The Times reported that Ms Onasanya had posted a defiant message in a WhatsApp group for the 2017 intake of Labour MPs indicating that she planned to fight on.

The deeply-religious former lawyer compared her experience to Jesus, "Joseph, Moses, Daniel and his three Hebrew friends who were each found guilty by the courts of their day".

She said: "As many of you are already aware, due to widespread media coverage, I was found guilty of perverting the course of justice. Although I vigorously maintained my innocence, the jury has decided that I am guilty.

"I campaigned for justice and for the interests of ordinary people throughout my entire working life to date, but it is this which has made both national and international press. The first jury was dismissed having failed to reach a decision last month but the second jury reached their conclusion within days."

She continued: "Regardless of what you believe or suspect, the fact remains that I Fiona, sought to be the choice and voice of change — but this may now take a different path. More than ever before I am asking that you commit time in prayer for my family.

"In times like these the natural inclination of believers is to ask God why? I personally do not, because in my experience the answers are usually far above and beyond my reach. What I do know is that I am in good biblical company along with Joseph, Moses, Daniel and his three Hebrew friends who were each found guilty by the courts of their day.

"While God did not save them from a guilty verdict he did save them in it and ensured that their greatest days of impact were on the other side of a guilty verdict. Of course this is equally true of Christ who was accused and convicted by the courts of his day and yet this was not his end but rather the beginning of the next chapter in his story.

"Please pray that my family will find peace and strength in this perilous time through this guilty verdict."

Ms Onasanya, who won her seat by just 607 votes at last year's election, had denied she was driving when her car was caught doing 41mph in a 30mph zone in Cambridgeshire in July 2017.

The trained solicitor was accused of colluding with her brother Festus to avoid getting three points on her licence.

She instead said her former lodger, Aleks Antipow, was behind the wheel and gave a fake address and telephone number for him. But it emerged Mr Antipow had been in Russia visiting his family at the time of the offence.

Festus Onasanya pleaded guilty to the same charge and two similar counts. The pair will be sentenced at a later date.

If she is sentenced to more than a year in prison, Ms Onasanya will automatically lose her seat. But any prison term can trigger a "recall" petition, which can then lead to a by-election if it is signed by 10 per cent of voters in a constituency.

In a statement last night, Labour said: "The Labour party is deeply disappointed in Fiona Onasanya’s behaviour. It falls well below what is expected of politicians. She should now resign.

"Fiona Onasanya is being administratively suspended from the Labour Party and therefore the whip with immediate effect."

Ms Onasanya's office has been contacted for comment.