Tory MP Scott Benton quits, triggering new byelection headache for Sunak

Rishi Sunak will encounter another challenging byelection very soon as the former Conservative backbencher, Scott Benton, left parliament before the recall petition amongst his constituents was concluded.

The MP of Blackpool South was in danger of being kicked out of parliament, as he had received a 35-day suspension due to his involvement in a lobbying controversy. This led to a procedure where residents could request a special election if a minimum of 10% of those registered to vote signed a petition.

Benton expressed his sadness in a post on his website, stating that he has sent a letter of resignation as MP to the chancellor this morning.

I want to express my gratitude towards the numerous inhabitants who have sent me messages of encouragement, along with cards and letters, during the past few months. Their unwavering support and insistence on my participation in the upcoming election is greatly appreciated.

He said that a Labour government would have very negative consequences for our country. He wants to make sure a new candidate has enough time and opportunity to campaign against that outcome, and that's why he made this decision now.

Since MPs are not allowed to resign easily, they have to send a letter to the chancellor of the exchequer expressing their desire to assume the role of Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds, which is overseen by the Treasury. This appointment results in their disqualification from Parliament.

Benton won the Labour seat in the 2019 election with a small majority of about 3,700 votes. However, the Labour party is expected to have a good chance of winning the seat again during a byelection.

In April 2023, Benton was removed from his position within the Tory party due to his comments to undercover journalists from the Times. He stated that he would openly flout the rules which govern lobbying in order to receive financial compensation. Additionally, he had also offered to use his influence as an MP to sway government officials in favour of the gambling industry and shared a confidential policy document for £4,000 a month.

After examining the matter further, the standards committee of parliament has determined that the individual in question has violated the rules in a significant manner. As a result, they suggest a 35-day suspension from the Commons as a consequence.

Benton refused to accept any wrongdoing and filed an appeal against his suspension. He made an appeal to the independent expert panel (IEP), which is a governing body that has a higher ranking than the standards committee. He claimed that the decision was leaked by the committee, and the proceedings were deficient. Sadly, his appeal was unsuccessful in the previous month, and this led to the commencement of his recall process.

Benton didn't give any immediate explanation behind his resignation. Nevertheless, calling for a byelection at present implies that it is possible to conduct it on the 2nd of May, which is also the day of local elections throughout England.