Jared O'Mara: Jailed MP's selection 'will never happen again'

Jared O'Mara served as MP for Sheffield Hallam from June 2017 to November 2019

Disgraced MP Jared O'Mara would never have been chosen as a Labour candidate under new selection processes, party leader Sir Keir Starmer has said.

O'Mara was elected as MP for Sheffield Hallam in June 2017 but in 2023 he was jailed over a £52,000 fraud.

His tenure was marred by allegations of misogyny and homophobia, while he was described as being "non-existent" in his constituency office.

Sir Keir said the party now had a "rigorous" selection system in place.

O'Mara was selected to contest the Sheffield Hallam seat against former deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg amid a snap general election called by Theresa May in 2017.

The BBC understands Labour asked those who had stood in the seat before, but they declined to stand.

The selection of O'Mara was also a surprise to local party members, who claim they did not get a say.

Sir Keir Starmer says a "rigorous system" is in place for selecting Labour candidates

Following his shock election, O'Mara, who has cerebral palsy and was diagnosed with autism in 2018, had promised "every single disabled person out there" he would be an "ally, friend and champion in Westminster".

But his short and turbulent time as an MP included drug and alcohol abuse, sexual harassment allegations, staff resignations and sackings.

During his trial, his defence team argued he was an "incompetent" politician rather than a dishonest one, while "suffering badly" from anxiety and depression.

Lord Paul Scriven, the former Lib Dem leader of Sheffield Council, was at the count where O'Mara's victory was declared in June 2017.

"Why did he get selected?" he asked.

"When it was clear that he was struggling, why didn't they put in extra support - both for him as an individual, but also for the people of Sheffield Hallam."

Speaking as part of a new BBC documentary Sir Keir was asked if he could guarantee a similar situation would never happen again.

Responding, he said: "Yes, that's why I've put in place a rigorous system now for selecting our candidates.

"I am determined that across Yorkshire the very best representation is there and so that will never happen again, because we've already taken the steps to ensure that it can never happen again."

The Commons Criminal

The MP who rose from obscurity to being imprisoned for fraud. The story of Jared O'Mara.

Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK only)