Kate Osamor referred to watchdog over son's drugs conviction

Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Kate Osamor (r) is a key ally of Jeremy Corbyn

A Labour frontbencher has been reported to Parliament's standards watchdog over her son's drugs conviction.

Ishmael Osamor, son of Shadow International Development Secretary Kate Osamor, resigned from Haringey Council after pleading guilty to possession of drugs valued at £2,500.

He continues to work for his mother as a senior communications officer.

Ms Osamor said on Twitter "she had done nothing wrong" and the referral was "politically motivated".

Conservative MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan accused Ms Osamor's of "bringing the integrity of Parliament into disrepute"

In an open letter to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Conservative MP Anne-Marie Trevelyan said Ms Osamor's behaviour "failed to uphold" the code of conduct for MPs.

She said: "You do not need me to outline how serious drug offences are, and in this place we ought to treat them as such.

"For a Member of Parliament to maintain the employment of someone convicted of such a crime turns a blind eye to the damaging consequences of such behaviour and seriously brings the integrity of Parliament into disrepute."

Ishmael Osamor resigned as a councillor on Haringey Council following pressure from opposition groups

Ishmael Osamor was caught trying to take ecstasy, cocaine, ketamine and cannabis into a festival in August 2017 - nine months before he was elected as a councillor.

As part of his sentence, he was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, attend 20 days rehabilitation and pay £400 prosecution costs.

Following his conviction Osamor resigned from his cabinet post on Haringey Council and later resigned as a councillor following pressure from opposition groups.