Conservatives Face the Possibility of Another By-Election Following MP’s Suspension
The suspension of Peter Bone MP doesn’t come as good news for the Conservative Party, which has only managed to hold one seat in seven by-elections in 2023.
Britain could hold another by-election after the suspension of the MP for Wellingborough over bullying and sexual misconduct relating to a staff member.
The Conservatives are at risk of losing another seat, following the six-week suspension of Peter Bone from the Commons.
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The bullying involved violence, shouting and swearing, mocking, belittling and humiliating behaviour, and ostracism, which often happened in front of others, the IEP report revealed.
The length of the suspension is above the ten-day threshold to trigger a recall petition, which will be opened in due course.
Series of By-Elections
This doesn’t come as good news for the Conservative Party, which has only managed to hold one seat in seven by-elections, that took place this year.
That seat was previously held by the former prime minister Boris Johnson, who stood down in July. While the Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat was secured by another Conservative, Steve Tuckwell, Mr. Johnson’s departure had triggered a number of Tory resignations.
Johnson supporters Christopher Pincher, Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams stood down in the past few months, which led to by-elections in their constituencies of Tamworth, Mid Bedfordshire, and Selby and Ainsty.
All three seats were taken over by the opposition.
Overall, in 2023, Labour gained hold of four seats as a result of by-elections and kept hold of another seat in West Lancashire.
This creates a potential headache for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who will lead the party into the next general election, due by January 2025.
Mr. Bone’s suspension is the latest blow to the Tory grip on power in Westminster.
“But if there is a by-election, and it is a very big ‘if’,
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