Labour MP Claudia Webbe has been charged with harassing a woman.
Ms Webbe is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 11 to face one count of harassment.
She is accused of carrying out the offence over a period of nearly 20 months between September 1, 2018, and April 26, 2020.
The 55-year-old MP was charged after a file of evidence was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) by the Metropolitan Police.
Jenny Hopkins from the CPS said: “The CPS has today decided that Claudia Webbe, MP for Leicester East, should be charged with an offence of harassment against one female.
“The CPS made the decision after receiving a file of evidence from the Metropolitan Police.
“Criminal proceedings against Ms Webbe are now active and she has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Ms Webbe said she is “innocent of any wrongdoing” and that she will “vigorously” defend herself in court after being charged with harassment.
In a statement, she said: “I am innocent of any wrongdoing and look forward to proving this in court. I will be vigorously defending myself against these claims.”
The Leicester East MP was elected to Parliament at the snap 2019 December General Election. The seat was formerly held by Labour veteran Keith Vaz who retired from Parliament in the wake of a scandal.
She is also a councillor in the London Borough of Islington where she served as cabinet member for energy, environment and transport.
Ms Webbe has been a vocal supporter of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and was a member of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee.
She also served as a political adviser to former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone.
The Standard has contacted the Labour Party and Islington Council for comment.
