MP Scott Benton Faces 35-Day Suspension Over Lobbying Scandal

The suspension could trigger a by-election in Benton's Blackpool South constituency, adding to the challenges facing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the Conservative party.

MP Scott Benton faces a 35-day suspension from Parliament for a 'very serious breach' of standards rules, after being caught offering to lobby ministers and table parliamentary questions on behalf of undercover reporters posing as gambling industry investors.
The suspension, if approved by MPs, could trigger a recall petition and a potential by-election in Benton's Blackpool South constituency, where he currently holds a majority of 3,690.
The Commons Standards Committee report condemned Benton for communicating a 'toxic message about standards in Parliament', tarnishing the reputation of all MPs.
Benton, who had the Tory whip withdrawn earlier this year, denies breaching any parliamentary rules and described the meeting with the reporters as a 'lapse in judgment'.
This incident adds to the challenges facing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, with the Conservatives already facing a potential by-election in Wellingborough next year, after the suspension of former Tory MP Peter Bone over bullying and sexual misconduct allegations.