The Parliamentary Committee on Standards has recommended a 35 day suspension for the Blackpool South MP, Scott Benton. The report stated that Benton had given the impression of being ‘corrupt and ‘for sale”. The length of ban is severe enough that if the measure is approved by Parliament, a recall petition would be initiated in Blackpool South.

A recall petition lasts 6 weeks and requires 10% of the electorate to sign to be successful. Scott Benton would be eligible to stand in the subsequent by-election. Only five recall petitions have previously been held – four of which met their goal.

Lytham St Anne’s News previously reported that MP Scott Benton willing to break Parliamentary lobbying rules in exchange for money after a Sting Operation by The Times. Benton has been suspended from the Conservative Party since the incident and currently sits as an Independent.