FIONA Onasanya is the first MP to be kicked out by her own constituents today after lying about her speeding tickets. The Peterborough politician was booted from her seat after she went to jail for a month. 19,261 people in her area signed an official petition demanding she leave her £77,000 a year role and […]
FIONA Onasanya is the first MP to be kicked out by her own constituents today after lying about her speeding tickets.
The Peterborough politician was booted from her seat after she went to jail for a month.
19,261 people in her area signed an official petition demanding she leave her £77,000 a year role and a new election be held.
The 35-year-old ex-solicitor can stand again to become their MP as an independent, but is unlikely to succeed after her spell behind bars.
Nigel Farage has his eye on the seat and is set to get a Brexit Party candidate to run in the race.
Ms Onasanya was kicked out of the Labour Party too – but has insisted she’s innocent and refused to quit.
She’s the first politician to be kicked out by Parliament under the new recall rules.
If she had been jailed for 12 months then she could have been automatically booted out as an MP.
She launched an appeal against her three-month sentence but it failed.
Her brother Festus was jailed for 10 months for her involvement.
Labour’s Chair Ian Lavery said this evening: “Labour campaigned hard for a victory in this recall petition.
“The people of Peterborough clearly agree that Fiona Onasanya is not fit to be their MP and we’re delighted they will now have the chance to vote for a Labour MP in our excellent candidate, Lisa Forbes.”
And Tory candidate for the sat, Paul Bristow said this evening: “The people of Peterborough deserve a better MP who will vote in Parliament to deliver Brexit.
“I’m delighted this result gives local people the chance to make their voices heard and vote for a better MP – and it will be a choice between Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour candidate and me.”
Ukip will battle for the seat too.
Under the recall of MPs Act, which came into law in March 2016, an MP can lose their seat if there’s a successful petition to recall them.
A petition starts if an MP has been convicted of an offence (including a suspended sentence), has been barred for the House of Commons for 14 days, or is convicted for anything to do with expenses.
The petition can’t open until all the appeals have been exhausted.
It is open for six weeks and if at least 10 per cent of the constituency sign it, the MP will lose their seat and a by-election will be called.
The booted MP can still stand, however.
This is the first time in history an MP has been booted out of their seat.
Last year a petition to try and get rid of of the DUP’s Ian Paisley failed to get enough support.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online politics team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours
