Scott Benton resigns as Blackpool South MP
He lost the Tory whip after becoming embroiled in a lobbying scandal
Last updated 25th Mar 2024
Scott Benton, who lost the Conservative whip after being embroiled in a lobbying scandal, said it had been "the honour of a lifetime" to serve as Blackpool South MP.
He has said he will quit Parliament rather than wait for the outcome of a recall petition.
An undercover newspaper investigation found him offering to lobby ministers and table parliamentary questions on behalf of gambling investors.
It means an awkward by-election in the constituency of Blackpool South, where the Tories had a majority of nearly 3-thousand 700 in 2019.
In a statement posted to his Facebook page, he said: "It's with a heavy heart that I have written to the Chancellor this morning to tender my resignation as your MP.
"I'd like to thank the hundreds of residents who have sent supportive messages, cards and letters over the last few months and who have urged me to continue and fight the next election. The support that so many local people have given to me has made it all worthwhile.
"A Labour government would be catastrophic for our country. I'm mindful of giving a new candidate the time and space to campaign to prevent that from happening and it is for this reason that I have made this decision at this time."
He added: "In 2019, I pledged to be an active, hardworking and relatable MP who would listen to your concerns and views and act upon them: I'd like to think that I have more than succeeded in that aim.
"It's in the best interests of our community that my successor succeeds and I wish them well."