Labour MP Margaret Hodge accused of flooring cyclist with her car door while talking on mobile phone

* Former children’s minister swung open door into path of overtaking cyclist
* Witness said he saw MP using her mobile phone while opening the door
* Hodge said: 'I was holding my phone but I was not using it’

By RYAN KISIEL and JASON GROVES

PUBLISHED: 00:10, 3 May 2013 | UPDATED: 00:10, 3 May 2013

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ile-phone.html

Labour MP Margaret Hodge has been accused of striking a cyclist with her car door while talking on her mobile phone.

The former children’s minister was canvassing in Barking, East London, when she swung open the door into the path of an overtaking cyclist, who crashed into it.

Witness Paul Ayer, 48, who took the photograph of Mrs Hodge with the cyclist, said he saw the MP using her mobile phone while she was opening the door of the parked car.

Mr Ayer claims Mrs Hodge was using the mobile phone when she opened the door.