Peterborough MP Fiona Onasanya could miss Brexit vote with sentencing due

Peterborough MP Fiona Onasanya departs by taxi from the Old Bailey in central London after she was found guilty of perverting the course of justice following a retrial for lying to police to avoid a speeding charge. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire

Fiona Onasanya is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on the same day as the vote takes place for perverting the course of justice, an offence which could see her jailed.

It was discovered last week that Ms Onasanya has appealed her conviction, but this will not prevent her from being sentenced on Tuesday.

The Court of Appeal said the application was in the early stages of the appeals process. Ms Onasanya and her legal team have both not responded to requests for comment.

An appeal may not take place for another nine months, the court said, which would allow Ms Onasanya to continue receiving her £77,379 a year salary.

If the independent MP is sentenced to a year or less in prison (including if it is a suspended sentence) it would trigger a recall petition - but this could not begin until the appeals process has ended.

If Ms Onasanya was sentenced to longer than a year in prison she would automatically lose her seat as an MP, regardless of her appeal.

Ms Onasanya was found unanimously guilty of lying about who was behind the wheel of her Nissan Micra when it was caught speeding in Thorney in July 2017.

She voted against the EU Withdrawal Bill on Tuesday last week, but failed to vote in a no confidence motion against the Government the day after.

On Monday she twice voted on two amendments to a bill which establishes the legal framework for reciprocal healthcare schemes and data sharing after the UK leaves the EU. She then voted on other motions the following day.