Scott Benton Faces By-Election After Losing Commons Suspension Appeal

The Blackpool South MP's appeal against a 35-day suspension was dismissed, potentially triggering a by-election in a key battleground seat.

Scott Benton, formerly a Conservative MP for Blackpool South, has lost his appeal against a 35-day suspension from the House of Commons.
The suspension comes after Benton was found to have breached Commons rules by offering to lobby ministers on behalf of gambling investors.
An independent panel upheld the Standards Committee’s decision, finding no procedural flaw in the process and describing Benton’s arguments as 'misconceived or erroneous'.
Labour has called for Benton to resign immediately to avoid a lengthy recall petition process, emphasizing the need for better representation for Blackpool South.
The potential by-election in Blackpool South, a seat won by the Conservatives in 2019 with a slim majority, poses another challenge for the Prime Minister amid recent by-election losses.