Former Tory MP Mercer resigns after Commons suspension

[LeftishBrit]

former Tory MP has resigned after he was suspended from the Commons for six months for allegedly asking questions in Parliament in return for money.

Patrick Mercer said he was "ashamed" and had decided to "fess up" by standing down straightaway.

This will trigger a by-election in his Newark constituency in Nottinghamshire, which he has represented since 2001.

The UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said he will decide in the next 24 hours whether to stand in the by-election.

(More at link)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27208966

[T_i_B]

1. By-election in Newark then....

Should be a safe Conservative seat looking at the 2010 election results.

The last time Labour held the seat it did not end happily... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiona_Jones

It looks like Nigel Farage may not be bringing his carpetbag to Newark after all, but they may well finish second.

[T_i_B]

2. Newark By-election today

List of candidates as follows

Baggaley, Paul Stephen - Independent
Bishop, David Laurence - Bus-Pass Elvis Party
Brick, Nick The Flying - The Official Monster Raving Loony Party
Hayes, Andy - Independent
Helmer, Roger - UK Independence Party (UKIP)
Jenrick, Robert Edward - The Conservative Party
Kirwan, David Charles - Green Party
Payne, Michael - Labour Party
Rodgers, Dick - Stop Commercial Banks Owning Britain's Money
Watts, David Kenneth - Liberal Democrat
Woods, Lee - Patriotic Socialist Party

I only wish we had Nick The Flying Brick standing in the constituency where I live at the next election!

[LeftishBrit]

3. I never thought I'd live to see the day...

when I would feel somewhat relieved at the thought of the Tories being likely to win a by-election.

But in this case, I am! Though if the new MP is anything like the unlamented Mercer, they wouldn't be THAT much better than a Kipper. But Farage does not need encouragement.

[T_i_B]

4. Results as follows

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27711254

Robert Jenrick (Con) 17,431 (45.03%, -8.82%)
Roger Helmer (UKIP) 10,028 (25.91%, +22.09%)
Michael Payne (Lab) 6,842 (17.68%, -4.65%)
Paul Baggaley (Ind) 1,891 (4.89%)
David Kirwan (Green) 1,057 (2.73%)
David Watts (Lib Dem) 1,004 (2.59%, -17.41%)
Nick The Flying Brick (Loony) 168 (0.43%)
Andy Hayes (Ind) 117 (0.30%)
David Bishop (Bus Pass Elvis) 87 (0.22%)
Dick Rodgers (Stop Banks) 64 (0.17%)
Lee Woods (Pat Soc) 18 (0.05%)