Not so honourable MP should have been jailed

I SEE from various TV and newspaper reports that our incumbent MP for Leicester East has been charged and found guilty of various threats made to a woman friend of her partner (“City MP spared immediate jail despite lack of remorse,” Mercury, November 5).

Claudia Webbe, pictured leaving court, was given what is to my mind a laughable sentence of 10 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and 200 hours of community service.

The only good that has so far come out of this is that she has been kicked out of the Labour Party.

The sentence handed down makes a mockery of the justice system. Because of the threats to inflict damage to another by an acid attack, threatening to send naked photos of her victim to her family and a prolonged campaign of abusive phone calls, I think she should have been imprisoned immediately for 12 months at least.

I quote a national newspaper columnist, who wrote: “The unrepentant Webbe remains an Independent MP, drawing a salary of almost £82,000, plus generous pension and perks paid for by you and me.”

The author, in the Daily Mail, also wrote: “This appalling case makes us lose faith in our political system too; because the culprit is an MP, Claudia Webbe, the not so honourable member for Leicester East.”

The other news in relation to this is that the person waiting in the wings, should a by-election be called, is one Keith Vaz, late of this parish.

There is something very wrong with a parliamentary system that would let the likes of – to steal the quote above – the not so honourable Keith Vaz to again hold office. His parliamentary record of misconduct runs into enough pages to fill a book.

I sincerely hope that, should a byelection be called, they remember the scandals of the person hoping to get re-elected to Leicester East and take the appropriate action.

James A. Hutchinson, Leicester Mailbox ed’s note: As reported on Page 2 of today’s edition, Ms Webbe has appealed against her conviction and maintains her innocence.