MP charged with criminal damage

Rob Marris is a member of Greenpeace and the TGWU

A Labour MP has been charged with criminal damage.

Rob Marris, MP for Wolverhampton South West, is alleged to have climbed over the bonnet of a parked van to board a bus in Pennfields, Wolverhampton.

The incident is alleged to have taken place last month. Mr Marris, 53, was charged on Thursday and will appear before magistrates later this month.

Mr Marris, a former solicitor who became an MP in 2001, said he intended to plead not guilty to the charge.

"This is a personal matter which has no bearing on my parliamentary duties and the law must quite properly take its course," he said.

Mr Marris is also a member of the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) and Greenpeace.