A ruling Labor MP was struck from the ranks today after it appears he punched a passer-by, claiming he had threatened him, following a night out with friends on Friday.

Mike Amesbury, 55, was kicked out of the party after CCTV footage shows him talking to a man, first punching him and then punching him repeatedly while he is on the ground.

Another video shows the “continuation” of the episode, where Amesbury can be heard telling someone off camera: “you will not threaten the deputy again.”

A Labor spokesman said Amesbury, who is elected in Runcorn and Helsby in north-west England, was co-operating with the police investigation. Until this investigation is completed, his party status is suspended.

In a statement issued by the MP on Saturday, before the video was released, he claimed that he “felt threatened in the street after a night out with friends” and that he contacted the police himself to report the incident. “I will not make any further comments publicly but of course I will cooperate with any investigation if required,” he added.