Eight signing stations will be open from 12th March until 22nd April for residents in Blackpool South to sign a petition to remove Scott Benton from his seat as MP.
Benton is currently suspended for 35 days after he offered to lobby ministers on behalf of the gambling industry. If 10 per cent of voters sign the recall petition it will trigger a by-election in Blackpool South, likely in June.
Residents can sign the petition at: the Salvation Army; Blackpool Sports Centre; Revoe Library; Molyneux Community Centre (off Lennox Gate, South Shore); The Solaris Centre; Bostonway Community Centre (Marton); Tarnside Community Centre (Mereside); and Aysgarth Community Centre (off Highfield Road).
Signing stations will be open from 8am to 5pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; Tuesdays 8am-5pm; and Thursdays 9am-8pm. They will be closed due to bank holidays on Friday 29th March and Monday 1st April.
A minimum of 5,629 Blackpool South voters must sign the petition in order to trigger the by-election. To sign you must be 18+, a registered voter in Blackpool South constituency, and must take ID with you. Anyone registering to vote now will not be allowed to sign the petition but will be able to vote in a by-election. You can register to vote here.
You can also sign the petition via post or by proxy – allowing someone else to attend on your behalf – but applications to do so must be received by the 5th April. To register for a postal vote click here and to register for a proxy vote click here. Those already registered will receive the necessary documentation automatically.
Blackpool-born Chris Webb, the Labour candidate for Blackpool South, urged the public to exercise their power and sign the recall petition in the coming weeks. He said that Benton's very serious breach of rules “exposes a dangerous willingness to prioritise personal gain over public interest."
“Blackpool South residents deserve the chance to vote for a new Member of Parliament who will prioritise the needs of the people, not their own pockets,” he added.
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