Locals fear that Claudia Webbe’s conviction in the threat to throw acid at a lover rival could allow shamed ex-Labour MP Keith Vaz, to try to return to national politics.
After being caught selling Class A drugs to male sex workers, Mr Vaz (64) resigned from Parliament at the 2019 elections.
Ms Webbe replaced the former Europe minister as MP at that year’s election, but she remains chairman of the local constituency Labour Party.
His successor is facing the possibility of a recall petition and by-election after today being handed a suspended 10-week jail sentence and 200 hours’ community service for harassing Michelle Merritt, in a row involving the 59-year-old’s relationship with her partner Lester Thomas, a Chelsea FC scout.
She has been stripped of the Labour whip and kicked out of the party. Locals in Leicester say Mr Vaz has been ‘acting just like a parliamentary candidate’ recently by campaigning visibly on issues including boundary changes that could affect a Labour majority.
One told HuffPost UK: ‘The tricky question for Labour is if they don’t give Vaz some of what he wants, does he stand as an independent? He could cause quite a bit of damage in the seat.’
Ms Webbe held the seat with a majority of 6,000 in 2019, down from more than 22,000 enjoyed by Mr Vaz just two years previously.
Any independent run by Mr Vaz could split the vote and allow the Tories to take it.

Mr Vaz, 64, quit Parliament at the 2019 election, having been handed a six-month suspension from the Commons after he was caught offering to buy Class A drugs for male sex workers.

After receiving a suspended 10-week sentence in jail and 200 hours of community service for harassing Michelle Merritt (in a row involving the relationship of the 59-year old with Lester Thomas, a Chelsea FC Scout), his successor now faces the possibility to be recalled and re-elected.

Locals in Leicester claim Mr Vaz has been acting “just like a candidate for parliament” recently by campaigning on issues that could affect a Labour majority, including boundary changes.
However, a win for Mr Vaz would be extremely contentious. A new mandate from voters would make it impossible for him to be stopped from taking his seat.
The Sunday Mirror reported that Vaz, posing himself as Jim, an industrial washer machine salesman, invited two male prostitutes to his flat for paid-for sex. He also offered to pay for cocaine to another man.
The House of Commons Standards Committee found the former Europe minister to have committed a very serious violation’ of the code of conduct of MPs.
His explanation that the men were there in order to discuss redecorating London’s flat was ridiculed.
Vaz, a married mother of two children, was the MP for Leicester East in central England from 1987 to 2019.
As recently as September this year, MPs recommended he be barred from receiving a pass for Parliament usually handed to former MPs for carrying out a campaign of ‘sustained and unpleasant bullying’ towards a parliamentary worker.
The standards watchdog reprimanded him over his conduct towards a clerk on the Home Affairs Committee, of which he was chairman for nine years.
In a report the Independent Expert Panel (IEP) chairman Sir Stephen Irwin said he was guilty of ‘sustained and unpleasant bullying, with a real and enduring psychological impact’ that ended the woman’s career.
“(Vaz)’s conduct towards the complainant was hostile and sustained, harmful, and unworthy of a member of Parliament. He should be ashamed for his behavior,’ he stated.
Vaz refused to cooperate with the investigation, claiming that he was too sick.
Mr Vaz was suspended from Parliament for six months in October 2019 but announced in November that he would not stand in the December election.
Jacob Rees Mogg, Commons Leader, revealed last week that the suspension had been lifted due to the election. He stated to MPs that Mr Vaz would be free to return the green benches if he was reelected.
Andrew Bridgen, North West Leicestershire Tory said last week that it would not be surprising that Mr Vaz in the event of a Leicester East By-election could return from ignominy and never serve any kind of suspension from The House of Commons.