Mid Bedfordshire by-election date set for Nadine Dorries' seat

Nadine Dorries had been a Conservative MP for Mid Bedfordshire since 2005

A Mid Bedfordshire by-election has been called for 19 October after Conservative MP Nadine Dorries said she would vacate her seat.

In August, the former culture secretary resigned from the Commons, more than two months after pledging to go "with immediate effect".

Central Bedfordshire Council confirmed the by-election date following Ms Dorries' decision.

So far, seven candidates have declared they would stand for the seat.

Despite saying in June she would quit, Ms Dorries subsequently said she wanted to find out why she was refused a seat in the House of Lords.

It was widely thought she would be made a peer by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in his resignation honours list.

Ms Dorries had been elected five times as a MP for the area since 2005.