Labour set to take another ‘safe’ Tory seat with party predicted to overturn 18,500 majority in sexual misconduct MP Peter Bone’s Wellingborough constituency as even Rishi Sunak plays down chances of winning

Rishi Sunak today played down Tory chances of winning an expected sleaze by-election in what was previously a safe seat as pollsters suggested it would fall to Labour.

Voters in Wellingborough are expected to trigger a vote to be held early next year after incumbent MP Peter Bone was yesterday ordered to serve a six-week Commons ban.

The 70-year-old was found to have bullied and sexually abused an aide more than a decade ago, including exposing himself on a business trip after booking them a shared room. 

And pollsters have given Labour a lead of between nine and 12 points in the Northamptonshire seat, enough to add it to their recent haul of previously safe Tory seats. 

Mr Bone’s majority in 2019 was 18,540 – lower than the majorities overturned by Labour in Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth last week.

It came as a new nationwide poll gave Labour a lead of almost 30 points over Rishi Sunak’s party. 

Voters in Wellingborough are expected to trigger a vote to be held early next year after incumbent MP Peter Bone was yesterday ordered to serve a six-week Commons ban.

The survey by People’s Polling for GB News put Labour on 49 per cent, with the Tories 28 points behind on 21 per cent.

Taking questions after a speech this morning, Mr Sunak said by-elections are ‘always difficult for incumbent governments’, adding he was ‘confident’ his Government could lower taxes after inflation is ‘brought down’.

The survey by People’s Polling for GB News put Labour on 49 per cent, with the Tories 28 points behind on 21 per cent.

Taking questions after a speech this morning, Mr Sunak said by-elections are ‘always difficult for incumbent governments’, adding he was ‘confident’ his Government could lower taxes after inflation is ‘brought down’.

Earlier, his deputy PM Oliver Dowden had admitted the potential by-election is likely to be ‘challenging’.

READ MORE – Eccentric Brexiteer Peter Bone’s life and career, from namechecking his wife to the Commons ban

A recall petition will be held which will trigger a by-election if signed by 10 per cent of voters. Mr Bone has held the seat for the Conservatives since 2005.

Mr Dowden, asked whether the Tories were concerned about the prospect of another by-election, told Sky News: ‘Parliament has spoken on this issue last night and I believe that Peter Bone is subject to a six-week suspension and there are further steps, so we are not in a situation right now that there is going to be a by-election.

‘That is up to the people of Peter Bone’s constituency, and of course any by-election for a government that has been in power for 13 years is always going to be challenging.

‘But if there is a by-election, and it is a very big ”if”, then we will go out and make our case.’

Asked whether the Government thought it would be defeated, Mr Dowden replied: ‘I’m not saying we are going to lose it at all – I’m saying that we will go out there and make our case very robustly.’

The sanction against the Wellingborough MP – who continues to deny wrongdoing – came after a panel found he bullied a member of staff and committed an act of sexual misconduct.

The six-week suspension for Mr Bone, who has had the Tory whip removed, is long enough to prompt a recall petition in his Northamptonshire constituency.

If 10 per cent of local voters in Wellingborough sign a recall petition then a by-election will be called. It would be the latest in a line of votes triggered by Tory sleaze claims.

Mr Bone’s suspension was approved by the House of Commons this evening without a formal vote. 

The Prime Minister last week suffered a double humiliation as Labour stunned the Tories by overturning huge majorities to win by-election contests in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire.

Another by-election loss in Wellingborough, a seat last won by Labour at the 2001 general election, would spark even more panic among Mr Sunak’s fretting MPs.

Labour tonight demanded Mr Bone resign from the Commons and ‘save his constituents the disruption of a recall petition’.

‘The people of Wellingborough deserve an MP they can be proud of,’ said Lucy Powell, the party’s shadow leader of the House of Commons.

‘The country deserves the change that only Labour can bring.’

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