UK lawmaker resigns party after violent bar brawl
Mar 12, 2012, 5:25 PM
LONDON (AP) – A British lawmaker who admitted assaulting others in a drunken bar brawl in Parliament has resigned from the opposition Labour Party.
Eric Joyce submitted his party resignation Monday and apologized for the brawl, saying he “had a number of personal issues to address.”
Joyce, 51, pleaded guilty last week to four charges of assault on Feb. 22 when he head-butted Conservative lawmaker Stuart Andrew and also assaulted two local Conservative officials and a Labour colleague. He complained there were “too many” Conservatives in the bar.
Joyce was fined 4,400 pounds ($6,900), got a weekend curfew and was banned from entering pubs for three months.
Joyce says he will continue to serve until the 2015 election but as an independent.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)