The time Sheffield's disgraced MP told Parliament he was 'looking forward to being the best I can possibly be'

It turned out the best MP O’Mara could possibly be was a fraudster who “does coke instead of going to Parliament” – his chief of staff’s words, not mine – who wound up eyeing the taxpayer-funded expenses system as a cash machine to pay off his drug dealer.

The former Sheffield Hallam MP was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court last week for attempting to pilfer up to £30,000 to pay his drug habit. He was handed four years in prison – a longer period than he served in office, notably.

The parallels between his first speech to the House on July 24, 2018, and the texts that came out in court are tragic. He was elected for Labour in 2017, but gave his first speech a year later as an independent after he had the whip withdrawn.

Indeed, some of his first acts in office were to deny calling a constituent an “ugly b****”, before telling one of junior staff members he was “madly in love” with her. There was also the matter of a slew of misogynistic and homophobic jokes he made online when was younger that came to light after his election.

"Thank you, you have all been terribly patient,” he told the House in his maiden speech, a year overdue.

“I am Parliament’s very first autistic MP, as well as having cerebral palsy and other disabilities. This fills me with immense pride. It is an honour for me to have the chance to represent our country’s disabled people in addition to serving my constituents.”

“Nailed my response to IPSA,” wrote the MP to his chief of staff 10 months later, in a scheme where he made up an autism support charity in the hope no one would question his £10,000 invoices. “Made it about disability and reasonable adjustments.

“Also added in words like service, serve, parliamentary duties, obstructions and the like just in case anyone makes the connection.”

“In my constituency and my city, I have also met many wonderful Christian people,” O’Mara told the House. “…I feel specifically that we can all learn from the teachings of Jesus,” he said.

“You wanna earn some easy money??” he asked his co-defendant eight months later. “I have a completely simple and very kosher way that involves bending the truth ever so slightly to both our benefits! I don’t know why more people don’t do it.”

“I ask my constituents, all parties in the House, and everyone in the country at large to join me now in prioritising those principles,” he concluded, referring to championing the disadvantaged, the vulnerable, the poor, the underprivileged, the elderly, children, and people with disabilities and illnesses.

“When I return to Parliament in September, I shall do so with renewed vigour and an unwavering commitment to social justice. I look forward to being the best MP that I can possibly be,” he said.

“It’s you who does cocaine instead of going to Parliament,” his chief of staff would text him a year later.

O’Mara only came back to Parliament on two more days to represent his constituents.