MP faces 35-day ban in Commons over gambling scandal

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Rishi Sunak set to face new by-election headache as former Tory MP faces 35-day suspension from House of the Commons.

Scott Benton has had the Conservative whip suspended after an affair exposed him for offering to lobby for investors in the gaming industry.

< p>M. Benton was prepared to disclose market-sensitive information to an investment fund and ask parliamentary questions on its behalf, in contravention of parliamentary lobbying. rules, a secret The Times investigation revealed.

After a lengthy investigation, parliament's standards committee said he had repeatedly indicated "his willingness to failing to follow the rules of the House.”

He said “serious sanction” was needed, recommending that he be suspended from Parliament for 35 days.

All suspension of at least 10 days triggers a recall election in a member's constituency. If more than one-tenth of voters in an MP's constituency sign the petition, a by-election is called.

Mr. Benton has a majority of just 3,690 votes in his Blackpool South constituency, won in the 2019 Conservative election landslide. Polls show Labor are expected to regain the seat if an election is held.

An election in Mr Benton's seat would be the latest challenge for Mr Sunak, who has faced a series of brutal defeats in the by-elections this year. year.

With a 20-point lead in the polls, Labor has overturned historic majorities in seats across the country, including Mid Bedfordshire, Tamworth, Selby and Ainsty.

There is also an ongoing recall petition in Wellingborough after Conservative MP Peter Bone was found guilty of exposing himself to...