Nine candidates announced in Blackpool by-election

Scott Benton had been suspended from the Conservative Party

Nine candidates have been announced ahead of a by-election triggered by the resignation of former Conservative MP Scott Benton.

Mr Benton had been sitting as an independent MP for Blackpool South after losing the Tory whip over a lobbying scandal.

The by-election will take place on 2 May, when local elections will also be held.

The candidates vying to replace Mr Benton include Labour's Chris Webb, the former deputy police and crime commissioner for Lancashire; and public relations firm boss David Jones for the Conservatives.

Andrew Cregan is standing for the Liberal Democrats, Ben Thomas for the Green Party, and charity worker Mark Butcher for Reform UK.

'Damage'

Mr Benton was elected in 2019 with a slim 3,690 majority over Labour, which had held the constituency since 1997.

In April 2023 he was secretly filmed saying he could lobby ministers to undercover Times reporters, who were posing as gambling industry investors.

He was suspended from the party shortly afterwards.

In February this year, Mr Benton lost an appeal against a suspension from the House of Commons, after an investigation found he had caused "significant damage" to Parliament's reputation.

This triggered a recall petition, where local voters would have had until 22 April, 2024, to decide whether to sack him as their MP.

Instead, he announced his departure on Facebook in March, saying being an MP "had been the honour of a lifetime".

Also standing are independent candidate Stephen Black, Damon Sharp of the New Open Non-Political Organised Leadership party, and Kim Knight from the Alliance for Freedom and Democracy.

Howling Laud Hope from the Official Monster Raving Loony Party will complete the line-up.