Resignation of RED Wall MP triggers by-election
Suspended former Conservative MP Scott Benton has announced his resignation from Parliament, setting the stage for another by-election. Representing Blackpool South, Benton stated that stepping down was a decision made with a "heavy heart" and that serving his constituency had been "the honour of a lifetime."
Reasons behind resignation
Benton was already under scrutiny, facing a recall petition following a motion to suspend him from the Commons for 35 days. The petition was set to close on April 22, but rather than awaiting its outcome, Benton confirmed his decision to resign. This move comes after he was found to have breached Commons rules by offering to lobby ministers and table parliamentary questions on behalf of gambling investors.
Implications of the by-election
The Conservatives will now defend a narrow majority of 3,690 votes over Labour in Blackpool South, a seat they won in 2019. This by-election will mark the fourth such vote this year, with a potential defeat signaling the 11th time the Government has lost a seat in a by-election since the current Parliament began in 2019.
