Young Labour star accused of lying over speeding charge
a LaBOUR rising star faces ruin after she was accused of perverting the course of jus-tice by trying to escape a speeding charge.
Fiona Onasanya, 34, who holds the marginal seat of Peterborough, allegedly attempted to blame someone else for the offence.
The former lawyer, who scraped in by just 607 votes, is also accused of trying to help her brother avoid another ticket just weeks later.
Miss Onasanya, whose win was one of the biggest upsets of the 2017 elec-tion, will appear at the Old Bailey next month.
Her brother, gospel singer Festus Onasanya, 33, is accused of the same two offences, which took place within months of her taking office.
The maximum penalty for pervert-ing the course of justice is life impris-onment. The allegations echo the case of former cabinet minister Chris Huhne who persuaded his wife vicky Pryce to accept points on his behalf.
The pair were jailed for eight months after an ugly crown court showdown which destroyed his political career.
Miss Onasanya was elected to the House of Commons last year after she defeated Conservative Stew-art Jackson.
She served in the powerful party whip’s office and was quickly welcomed into Jer-emy Corbyn’s inner circle.
Miss Onasanya faces two charges as part of a tangled web of claims surrounding alleged attempts to manipu-late the speeding fine system.
She is accused of attempt-ing to pervert the course of justice during an inquiry into a speeding offence she com-mitted on July 24 last year.
Prosecutors claim she falsely informed Cambridge-shire police that another man had been behind the wheel.
according to the charge against her, this put the other man ‘ at risk of prosecution and punishment’ while allow-ing her to avoid it.
The crime is alleged to have taken place between the date of the speeding offence and September 29.
a second charge claims she interfered with a second speeding offence committed by her brother on august 23.
In both cases the pair are alleged to have falsely told police that a man named aleks antipow, from Cam-bridge, was driving.
The politician’s brother faces two identical charges and a third of perverting the course of justice over an ear-lier speeding offence.
Festus Onasanya is accused of blaming Paul Suvradip, of Cambridge, for speeding in a vehicle on June 17 last year.
Before she was elected as an MP, Miss Onasanya was a county councillor and deputy leader of the Labour group on Cambridge council.
She was born in Cambridge and brought up by her mother Paulina. Her father Frank is a district councillor in Ontario, Canada, and runs a football training academy.
The politician studied law at the University of Hertford-shire before qualifying as a commercial property solicitor.
She used her maiden speech in Parliament to declare her deep Christian faith, saying: ‘I am motivated in all that I do by my abiding faith in God.’ Once asked if she wanted to be Britain’s first black PM, she replied: ‘I absolutely wish to aim high – the sky is not the limit as there are footsteps on the moon!’
Her website reads: ‘ Together we can make a fairer, better city and I am honoured you’ve put your faith in me to help achieve this.’
It adds that outside of poli-tics she is ‘an active member of her church’ and an ‘avid reader’.
a Cambridgeshire police spokesman said: ‘ Fiona Oluyinka Onasanya, 34, from Peterborough has been charged with perverting the course of justice.
‘She appeared at Westmin-ster Magistrate’s Court on July 12 and is due to appear in court again on august 13.’ a Labour spokesman said: ‘It would not be appro-priate to comment on an ongoing case.’
Miss Onasanya’s office declined to comment.
‘Tangled web of claims’