Labour MP Fiona Onasanya, who is facing trial for perverting the course of justice has today told the Old Bailey that she was overwhelmed by thousands of emails when she became an MP in June last year.

The qualified solicitor told the court that becoming an MP was “a bit like a freshers’ fair” and that she had about 5,000 unanswered emails in her inbox.

“It was a little bit like being asked if you can swim and you say ‘Yes, I can get by, I can swim’, and then you get thrown in the ocean, it’s not comparable.”

Of the 94 new MPs elected in 2017 Onasanya is the only one on trial charged with perverting the course of justice.