Labour has called on former Tory MP Peter Bone to face down immediately and spare constituents a recall petition process so as to pave the best way for a by-election in his seat.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the suspended Wellingborough MP should “recognise the seriousness of this” after an independent investigation found he had engaged in bullying and sexual misconduct.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak admitted on Thursday any electoral test can be “difficult” when asked concerning the prospect of a vote.
But his deputy Oliver Dowden denied that the Tories were admitting defeat in a contest where they’d be defending a majority of 18,500.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Ms Cooper said: “We do need to see a by-election happen. This was obviously a serious report and there was a full-process investigation that took place.
“And I believe somewhat than the community having to undergo the entire recall process, it might be higher to simply have the opportunity to have Peter Bone recognise the seriousness of this and truly make sure that that individuals have the by-election. But let’s be honest, what we would like to see is a general election as soon as possible.
“Everything is broken now after 13 years of the Tories. I believe what we saw in Tamworth in Bedfordshire, but in addition in Selby and in Rutherglen was people wanting a fresh start, they actually need to see change.”
The Commons on Wednesday approved a six-week suspension for Mr Bone after Parliament’s Independent Expert Panel upheld counts of bullying and sexual misconduct against him referring to a staff member.
A recall petition might be held which is able to trigger a by-election if signed by 10% of voters in his Northamptonshire constituency.
North Northamptonshire Council confirmed on Thursday that the petition will open on November 8 and shut on December 19.
There is a suggestion that Mr Bone, who was stripped of the Tory whip after a report into his conduct was made public, was out campaigning with party activists on the day MPs ratified his suspension.
A tweet from Helen Harrison, a Conservative councillor on North Northamptonshire Council, showed an image of herself with the veteran MP, saying it was “lovely to be out” with Mr Bone leafleting for a neighborhood candidate.
The Conservative Party has been approached for comment.
Mr Bone has held Wellingborough for the Conservatives since 2005 and the five-figure majority he secured on the last general election is smaller than the majorities the Tories had held in each Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire in 2019.
Both fell to Labour in by-elections last week, with Sir Keir Starmer’s party recording a 22-point swing towards it within the Tamworth victory.
Mr Dowden, asked whether the Tories were concerned concerning the prospect of one other by-election, told Sky News: “We aren’t in a situation without delay that there may be going to be a by-election.
Any by-election for a government that has been in power for 13 years is all the time going to be difficult
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden
“That is as much as the people of Peter Bone’s constituency, and in fact any by-election for a government that has been in power for 13 years is all the time going to be difficult.
“But if there may be a by-election, and it’s a really big ‘if’, then we are going to exit and make our case.”
Asked whether the Government thought it might be defeated, Mr Dowden replied: “No, I’m not saying we’re going to lose it in any respect — I’m saying that we are going to go on the market and make our case very robustly.”
The IEP found Mr Bone had “verbally belittled, ridiculed, abused and humiliated” an worker and “repeatedly physically struck and threw things” at him.
He was found to have indecently exposed himself to the complainant in the lavatory of a hotel room during a piece trip to Madrid.
The MP also imposed an “unwanted and humiliating ritual” on the person by forcing him to take a seat along with his hands in his lap when the MP was unhappy along with his work, the investigation found.
He said the allegations against him were “false and unfaithful” and “without foundation” last week, but he was kicked out of the Tory parliamentary party the subsequent day.
The complainant on the centre of the case has told the BBC it was a “horrid, brutal, dark experience that left me a broken shell of the young man I once was”.
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is in search of procedural advice after Tory former minister Liam Fox raised concerns of a possible contempt of Parliament attributable to the BBC interview.
