Former Tory Scott Benton has pre-empted a recall petition and will resign as an MP. He says in a letter:
“It’s with a heavy heart that I have written to the Chancellor this morning to tender my resignation as your MP. I’d like to thank the hundreds of residents who have sent supportive messages, cards and letters over the last few months and who have urged me to continue and fight the next election.“
By-election in Blackpool South fast approaching…
The Parliamentary authorities have launched a ‘leak investigation’ after the Appeal Report on recently suspended MP Scott Benton was leaked ahead of its official publication. Guido published the leak of the decision…
Ironically, the Appeal Report itself denied the existence of leaks at previous stages of the investigation. Guido’s got a hold of the leak of the the email:
Subject: Leak inquiry – Scott Benton Appeal
I know you are aware of leaks on the report yesterday. After discussion with the Chair of the Panel, we are conducting a leak inquiry. This includes emailing everyone who had access to an embargoed copy or the report or knowledge of the decision and/or publication timing.
In advance of the report being published, we identified that the following occurred:
Politico reported in Playbook (20.2.24) that ‘it’s “likely” the result of Scott Benton’s appeal against his proposed 35-day suspension from the House of Commons will be published today’.
Aubrey Allegretti at the Times tweeted that he had been ‘told a report into Scott Benton, dismissing his appeal against a 35-day suspension after a Times investigation, is likely to drop later this morning’.
Guido published an article reporting the sub-panel’s decision which included an extract of the reportI am writing formally to you, as I have to all others who had access to or knowledge of the report, to ask you to confirm in writing whether you had, ahead of the report being published:
(1) Spoken with anyone about this case (and if so what information was shared)
(2) Shared the embargoed report (and if so, with who)Please respond by midday on Friday 23 February.
As before, please do feel free to give me a call or email if you have any questions about process or if you’d like to discuss.
Many thanks
Senior Clerk | Journal Office | Centre of Excellence for Procedural Practice | Deputy, Independent Expert Panel |House of Commons
Benton said:
“It goes without saying that the Standards process is designed to be open, fair, honest and transparent so the public and MPs can have trust in it. How can you have faith in standards process which doesn’t adhere to its own ethics, standards and principles?”
Leaks are commonplace in Westminster, though investigating how a report was leaked which denied leaks taking place is a new low…
MPs have now approved Scott Benton’s suspension for 35 days from the Commons. Opening the door to a recall petition…
Another by-election is on the horizon…
UPDATE: The recall petition for Scott Benton in Blackpool South will open on Tuesday 12 March and close on Monday 22 April.
The Standards Committee has recommended a 35-day suspension for Tory MP Scott Benton over a sleaze row, likely leading to yet another by-election for Sunak. Benton only has a 3,600 vote majority in Blackpool South, and according to UK Polling Report, Labour candidate Chris Webb is on track to win.
Not such a happy new year for Rishi…
The Red Wall continues to crumble as Rishi Sunak could face yet another by-election. According to the Mirror, Tory MP Scott Benton for Blackpool South is set to be suspended for more than 10 days over a sleaze row. Trouble in paradise…
