Latest politics updates as Sunak faces another by-election after ex-Tory MP suspended
The Tories could be facing their fourth by-election of the year after a motion to suspend former Tory MP Scott Benton from the House of Commons for 35 days was approved on Tuesday.
Mr Benton, an elected Conservative who now sits as an Independent, lost the whip last year after he was recorded by The Times saying that he could table questions to ministers on behalf of gambling investors .
The 35-day suspension period is also in excess of the 10-day threshold that triggers a recall petition and possible by-election in his constituency, which would see the Conservatives defending a slim majority of 3,690 votes over their nearest opponents, Labour, from whom they took the seat in 2019.
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