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Who is Kate Osamor? Former Labour frontbencher and MP for Edmonton

JEREMY Corbyn ally Kate Osamor has been forced to quit Labour's shadow cabinet in a row over what she knew of her drug dealer son's arrest and conviction.

She has come under fire for continuing to employ son Ishmael as a £50,000-a-year aide - here’s what you need to know.

 Here's what you need to know about Labour MP for Edmonton Kate Osamor
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Here's what you need to know about Labour MP for Edmonton Kate OsamorCredit: PA:Press Association

Who is Kate Osamor?

Kate Osamor, 50, was born in North London where she also grew up as the daughter of Nigerian immigrant parents.

Her mother Martha Osamor, a civil rights campaigner, is now a member of the House of Lords.

Kate worked for Big Issue magazine and later as a GP practice manager.

A long-time Labour activist, in May 2015 she was elected MP for Edmonton following the retirement of Andy Love.

Her election victory speech was word for word ripped off from an address by Barack Obama, although she later denied accusations of plagiarism.

 Kate pictured with her son Ishmael, who worked for her in Parliament
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Kate pictured with her son Ishmael, who worked for her in Parliament

It also emerged her maiden commons speech appeared to be copied from one by her predecessor Mr Love, a local newsletter and the Wikipedia page for her constituency.

Ms Osamor was one of 36 Labour MPs who nominated Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership and the following year was made shadow minister for women and equalities.

Then after a number of Mr Corbyn's top team quit, loyalist Ms Osamor was appointed Shadow Secretary of State for International Development.

In December 2018 she resigned from the role, for allegedly misleading the public over her son's drug offences.

She said she wanted to "concentrate on supporting my family through the difficult time we have been experiencing".

She is facing a formal probe by Commons authorities over refusing to sack her son from her Parliamentary office.

Why is she under investigation by the Commons?

Ms Osamor came under fire after it emerged her son Ishmael, 29, was caught with £2,500 worth of MDMA, cocaine, ketamine and cannabis at Bestival in Dorset.

He was let off with a community sentence and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work - but kept his £50,000-a-year taxpayer funded job working for his mother.

It also emerged the shameless politician and her son - earning a combined £130,000 - were living in social housing meant for poor constituents.

 Ishmael faced four counts of possession of drugs with intent to supply at last year's Bestival
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Ishmael faced four counts of possession of drugs with intent to supply at last year's Bestival

Speaker John Bercow considered taking away Mr Osamor's Commons security pass for failing to report his conviction.

And in November the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards launched an investigation into the Edmonton MP's conduct.

Ms Osamor said the referral by a Tory MP was "politically motivated" and added: "I have done nothing wrong."

She claimed she knew nothing about her son's drugs case until his sentencing in October at Bournemouth crown court.

But on December 1, Ms Osamor had written to the judge beforehand pleading for leniency.

 

When confronted by a Times reporter, she allegedly threatened to "smash his face in with a bat", threw a bucket of water over him and accused him of stalking her.

She resigned hours later.

On December 2, The Sun revealed Ms Osamor had been banned from Wikipedia for repeatedly editing her own page to remove embarrassing references.

Labour's Kate Osamor ripped off speech word for word from Barack Obama


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