2024 Blackpool South by-election

Scott Benton Independent[a] Chris Webb Labour A by-election took place on 2 May 2024 in the UK Parliament constituency of Blackpool South, the same day as local elections in England and Wales.[1][2] Benton had been suspended for 35 days from the House of Commons after being caught in a newspaper sting operation offering lobbying services for payment.In the 2019 general election it was won by Conservative candidate Scott Benton, who defeated the incumbent Labour MP Gordon Marsden.[8] In April 2023 The Times published an article resulting from a sting operation alleging that Benton was willing to table parliamentary questions, leak documents and lobby ministers on behalf of gambling companies in return for "thousands of pounds per month".[15] Benton resigned as an MP on 25 March 2024, terminating the recall petition thirteen days into the signing period.[2] Issues in the by-election included "levelling-up",[18] social deprivation,[19] overstretched NHS,[20] homelessness,[21] low investment,[22] crime, anti-social behaviour,[23] and child poverty.[43] Psephologist John Curtice likened this and other recent results to elections in the years before Labour's landslide win in 1997.
Scott Benton , the previous MP.
July 2024Blackpool SouthChris WebbLabourConservativeReform UKScott BentonIndependentby-electionUK Parliament constituencylocal electionssuspendedHouse of Commonssting operationrecall petitionLabour Party2019–2024 ParliamentConservative Party2019 general electionGordon Marsdenred wallsea walldistrictsBrexit2016 European Union membership referendumborough of BlackpoolThe TimesStandards CommitteeIndependent Expert PanelRecall of MPs Act 2015resigned as an MPwrit of electionpolice and crime commissioner elections"levelling-up"Green PartyLiberal DemocratsTower HamletsCharity CommissionHowling Laud HopeOfficial Monster Raving Loony PartyMonster Raving LoonyRegistered electorsTurnoutPsephologistJohn Curticelandslide win in 1997General election 2019Brexit PartySky NewsMark PackBy-elections58th Parliament of the United KingdomHartlepoolAirdrie and ShottsChesham and AmershamBatley and SpenOld Bexley and SidcupNorth ShropshireSouthend WestBirmingham ErdingtonTiverton and HonitonWakefieldCity of ChesterStretford and UrmstonWest LancashireSelby and AinstySomerton and FromeUxbridge and South RuislipRutherglen and Hamilton WestMid BedfordshireTamworthKingswoodWellingboroughRochdale1801–18061806–18181818–18321832–18471847–18571857–18681868–18851885–19001900–19181918–19311931–19501950–19791979–20102010–presentHereditary peers