The Blackpool South MP has written to Jeremy Hunt with "a heavy heart" tendering his resignation, meaning Rishi Sunak faces another tricky byelection in the seat.
His departure comes as a recall petition in his seat was ongoing, Benton having been suspended from the parliament after allegedly being caught offering to lobby ministers on behalf of gambling investors in exchange for money. He was expected to be recalled from parliament by his constituents and face a byelection in the seat, which he would have been likely to lose.
Mr Benton won the seat, which had been held since 1997 by Labour, for the Tories under Boris Johnson in 2019. He had a narrow majority of just 3,690, and with the Conservatives currently trailing Labour in the national polls by 22 points, he was expected to lose the seat in a by-election later this year.
His immediate resignation, rather than waiting for the recall petition to conclude next month, will bring forward the contest.
この記事は The Independent の March 26, 2024 版に掲載されています。
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この記事は The Independent の March 26, 2024 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、8,500 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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