Blackpool South byelection

[PR1Berske]

Context
Gained by Conservative MP Scott Benton in 2019.
Jan 2021: apologised for breach of Parliamentary rules on payments (see: https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/ne...south-mp-breached-parliamentary-rules-3092855)
July 2021: accepted thousands of pounds of free tickets from betting companies (see Nine MPs accepted free Euro 2020 tickets from gambling companies)
April 2023: discovered by Times newspaper 'sting' to be up for sale including willing to do the bidding of betting/gambling firms (see https://archive.ph/20230405195808/h...scott-benton-lobbying-investigation-ckhzrfqg0 )
Loses party whip in April

Investigation
December 2023: Standards Committee finds against Benton (report: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5804/cmselect/cmstandards/413/report.html )

Quote from the Report:

By repeatedly indicating his willingness to disregard the House’s rules, and by giving the impression that many Members of the House had in the past and will in the future engage in such misconduct, Mr Benton committed a very serious breach of Paragraph 11 of the Rules. His comments gave a false impression of the morality of MPs in a way which, if the public were to accept them as accurate, would be corrosive to respect for Parliament and undermine the foundations of our democracy.

He is recommended to be suspended from the House for 35 days. This would trigger the Recall of MPs Act. He appeals against this ruling. He loses the appeal.

Consequence
Unless a general election is called, a Recall Petition will be opened in the constituency. It must run for six weeks. Ten percent of the registered electorate must sign the petition for the seat to be vacated and a byelection will be called.

Previous result
ConservativeScott Benton16,247 49.6 6.5
LabourGordon Marsden12,557 38.3 12.0
Brexit PartyDavid Brown2,009 6.1
Liberal DemocratsBill Greene1,008 3.1 1.3
GreenBecky Daniels563 1.7 0.7
IndependentGary Coleman368 1.1

 

[marty21]

Pretty much a slam dunk for Labour , if MPs vote for it & the recall referendum too.

Odious Tory gets a jump start on the job hunt.

 

[quiet guy]

At least he was honest in his assessment of other MPs being dishonest.

 

[brogdale]

Benton never was the sharpest tool in the vermin box...

 

[skyscraper101]

In 2015, Benton unsuccessfully proposed a motion that all schools in his council district should sing the national anthem daily and be encouraged to fly the Union flag

In December 2021, Benton expressed support for the death penalty in certain scenarios

Delightful.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Pretty much a slam dunk for Labour , if MPs vote for it & the recall referendum too.

Politcally abandoned places like Blackpool voted Tory after correctly coming to the conclusion that voting Labour had delivered absolutely nothing for them, their families and their communities. The hope was that the Tories might do something for them that Labour never had. Instead they got a culture warrrior who delivered fuck all of material value.

It may well be the case that the seat now go back to Labour but there will be no 'slam dunk' and the extent and depth of consciousness about the lack of political representation in places like this is growing and growing.

 

[skyscraper101]

A death penalty advocating anti-abortionist who in his short tenure as an MP since 2019 has not only broken the rules on declaring his councilor income but now filmed - allegedly - appearing to accept payments to lobby for the "gabling industry" (Times journalists) - while chairman of the All-party parliamentary group on betting and gaming

And this motherfucker supposedly represents one of the most deprived areas of Britain - i.e exactly the kind of community the gambling industry goes hard on to target and deprive.

Hopefully this does result in him losing his seat and he can join the select club of MPs turfed out within one election cycle.

 

[marty21]

Politcally abandoned places like Blackpool voted Tory after correctly coming to the conclusion that voting Labour had delivered absolutely nothing for them, their families and their communities. The hope was that the Tories might do something for them that Labour never had. Instead they got a culture warrrior who delivered fuck all of material value.

It may well be the case that the seat now go back to Labour but there will be no 'slam dunk' and the extent and depth of consciousness about the lack of political representation in places like this is growing and growing.

Don't totally agree with that - the 2019 vote was basically about Brexit - getting it done, etc - that issue has gone (despite Brexit still being an issue) .

 

[PR1Berske]

Well here we go. Suspension approved:

 

[PR1Berske]

Petition opens 12 March:

Blackpool south recall petition

www.blackpool.gov.uk

 

[brogdale]

Petition opens 12 March:

Blackpool south recall petition

www.blackpool.gov.uk

Do you know why there's a 2 week delay? Seems to be a chance that the news story might sink in that time?

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Do you know why there's a 2 week delay? Seems to be a chance that the news story might sink in that time?

Doesn't really need the news does it? Shouldn't be hard to get the numbers needed going door to door - none of the others seem to have struggled.

 

[brogdale]

Doesn't really need the news does it? Shouldn't be hard to get the numbers needed going door to door - none of the others seem to have struggled.

Hope you're right; just wondering about the delay

 

[cupid_stunt]

Do you know why there's a 2 week delay?

Because it takes time to set these things up.

 

[brogdale]

Because it takes time to set these things up.

Are they actual physical petition forms, electronic or a mix?

 

[Favelado]

Tories out of South Shore NOW

 

[PR1Berske]

I don't think that I need to go through all the details here, for they are long and arduous.

Unless the general election happens beforehand (unlikely) this should be the last byelection of this Parliament. You could say that we've already had a general election held in installments.

Previous result:





And current boundaries alongside the new ones to be fought directly after:

 

[Silas Loom]

I don't think that I need to go through all the details here, for they are long and arduous.

Unless the general election happens beforehand (unlikely) this should be the last byelection of this Parliament. You could say that we've already had a general election held in installments.

Previous result:

View attachment 417268



And current boundaries alongside the new ones to be fought directly after:

View attachment 417270

Why should this be the last before the election? There’s still time before October for plenty more Tories to disgrace themselves or simply to get better jobs.

 

[PR1Berske]

Why should this be the last before the election? There’s still time before October for plenty more Tories to disgrace themselves or simply to get better jobs.

Fair. But how much more misery will the Whips want to go through?

Any fellow nerds in the room might know what I mean when I say that this has the whiff of Wirral South about it

 

[Silas Loom]

Fair. But how much more misery will the Whips want to go through?

Any fellow nerds in the room might know what I mean when I say that this has the whiff of Wirral South about it

I had to google, but does that mean you know something about the Labour candidate’s accounting habits?

 

[PR1Berske]

My reference was only to the byelection that was the final small smattering of pebbles before the landslide.

 

[JimW]

At least Galloway won't stand.

 

[chilango]

At least Galloway won't stand.

Don't bet on it.

 

[Favelado]

My home constituency . the changes make it basically 'Blackpool' rather than Blackpool South. Off you fuck Tories.

 

[brogdale]

My home constituency . the changes make it basically 'Blackpool' rather than Blackpool South. Off you fuck Tories.

Benton will now have more time to spend with his claimed favourite book, the Old Testament

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Benton will now have more time to spend with his claimed favourite book, the Old Testament

I know judging by appearances and all, but if you picture 'dodgy spiv taking bungs off the gambling industry' in your head, it's basically him isn't it.

 

[kebabking]

Führage.

He'll be inspired/impressed with Galloway's perf in Rochdale and think the time is right - he's got the loon media on his side, and all the normal stuff to take advantage of: worthless govt who fail at everything, CoL, and a bit of Gaza/policing/culture war.

You saw it here first.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Führage.

He'll be inspired/impressed with Galloway's perf in Rochdale and think the time is right - he's got the loon media on his side, and all the normal stuff to take advantage of: worthless govt who fail at everything, CoL, and a bit of Gaza/policing/culture war.

You saw it here first.

Not sure he'll want to give up his GB News earnings during an election period.

 

[Monkeygrinder's Organ]

Führage.

He'll be inspired/impressed with Galloway's perf in Rochdale and think the time is right - he's got the loon media on his side, and all the normal stuff to take advantage of: worthless govt who fail at everything, CoL, and a bit of Gaza/policing/culture war.

You saw it here first.

Can't see it. There's no Gaza angle for him is there.

 

[kebabking]

Can't see it. There's no Gaza angle for him is there.

Oh there is - he doesn't give a shit about either side, but I reckon he could make hay about the demo's in every city in the country. The Enemy Within isn't exactly a new line for Falange, and it's one he's had some success with.