Blackpool South MP, Scott Benton, faces 35-day Commons suspension
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could have another by-election forced on him after the Commons Standards Committee recommended Blackpool South Conservative MP, Scott Benton, be suspended for 35 days.
It follows an investigation by The Times, in which reporters posed as employees of a fake lobbying company, TAHR, that led to a suggestion he would be willing to break lobbying rules for money.
He was suspended by the Parliamentary Tory Party in April.
Today, the Standards Committee said: “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.”
If approved by a Commons vote, a suspension of more than 10 days could lead to the triggering of a recall petition which provides constituents with the opportunity to approve a by-election.
Mr Benton was elected in 2019, and has a majority of just 3,690. Blackpool South had been a Labour seat since 1997, but was Conservative before that.
The committee said Mr Benton provided an “incomplete and incorrect picture of what had transpired”, while adding it was a “repeat offence, or indication that the offence was part of a pattern of behaviour”.
The committee deemed his actions an “extremely serious breach”.
In his meeting at a London hotel with The Times reporters Mr Benton, chair of the all-party parliamentary group for betting and gaming, gave the impression he would be happy to be paid between £2,000 and £4,000 a month to help the fake company.
In a damning secret recording of the meeting the Conservative MP was filmed offering to lobby ministers directly, and to share market sensitive information and ask questions on behalf of the businesses in Parliament and to give the supposed Indian-backed gambling client access to the White Paper on gambling reform 48 hours before publication.
MPs cannot carry out paid lobbying or offer advice on how to influence parliament.
Mr Benton did not accept any financial payment arising from the meeting
The committee’s report said: “The message he gave to his interlocutors at the 7 March meeting was that he was corrupt and ‘for sale’, and that so were many other members of the House. He communicated a toxic message about standards in parliament.”
Mr Benton’s suspension would be one of the longest recommended by the committee.
Earlier this year the committee recommended a 90-day suspension for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, but he resigned before the matter could be considered.
