Blackpool South MP Scott Benton has lost his appeal against a 35-day suspension from Parliament after being caught in a lobbying scandal. He was found to have breached Commons rules by offering to lobby ministers and table parliamentary questions on behalf of gambling investors. Due to the ruling, MPs will now vote on whether to trigger a recall petition that could force a by-election in his constituency.
If the recall petition is triggered, voters will have six weeks to register their support for Mr. Benton’s removal, with 10% support being the threshold needed to trigger a by-election. Labour is urging Mr. Benton to resign as an MP completely to save the people of Blackpool South from a lengthy recall petition that would leave them without the representation they deserve.
If a by-election is called, it would be the fourth this year and the 11th time the government had lost a seat since the start of the current Parliament in 2019. It is unlikely that any polls would occur until the end of April or the beginning of May.
Mr. Benton has stated he is deeply disappointed by the decision and has claimed there was a lack of integrity throughout the process. However, a chief executive of a lobbying trade association welcomed the panel’s decision, stating that the footage recorded by the Times had been clear and damning.
Blackpool South, a Conservative seat from 1945 until 1997 before becoming Labour-held, returned to the Conservative Party’s control in 2019 when Mr. Benton was elected. Now with the potential of a by-election, given recent by-election results, the Labour Party may fancy their chances at winning the seat back. Residents in the constituency have been hit by the long-term decline of seaside towns and their hope for change through government policies. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could face a strong electoral test in an archetypal Blue Wall seat, and it might be tougher than expected.
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