The Liberal Democrats look set to break parliamentary convention in a bid to strong-arm Rishi Sunak into holding the Mid Bedfordshire by-election sooner rather than later.
The seat is currently vacant after former Cabinet Minister Nadine Dorries officially handed in her resignation last week. The government has not confirmed when it will start the official process to hold a by-election.
However, the BBC reports the Lib Dems plan on breaking standard convention by tabling a motion to start the process themselves. This could be done on Monday when Parliament returns.
It would mean a by-election to replace Dorries could be held on October 5. The timing could be seen as less than ideal for Rishi Sunak as the Conservative Party conference ends the day before.
The Liberal Democrats say they want to minimize the length of time that Mid Bedfordshire is without an MP. Under parliamentary convention, the party of the departing MP normally starts the formal process for a by-election.
This can take six or seven weeks. There is however nothing stopping another party from lodging a motion.
A Conservative majority in Parliament does though make any motion unlikely to succeed. Mid Bedfordshire will be seen as a key battleground for politicians, the seat has been Conservative for over 100 years, but both Labour and the Lib Dems are expected to pump resources into the race.
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “People in Mid Bedfordshire have been denied a voice in Parliament for far too long, all because Nadine Dorries abandoned them and Rishi Sunak refused to do anything about it. They should not be made to wait a day longer to elect an MP who will finally stand up for them.
“It would add insult to injury if Rishi Sunak now decides to delay this by-election for his own political reasons.”
A government spokeswoman said: “The PM has been clear that the people of Mid Beds deserve proper representation. A by-election will take place in a timely manner.”
Elsewhere there will also be a byelection in Rutherglen and Hamilton West in Scotland after Margaret Ferrier was forced out by a recall petition after she broke Covid rules.
The SNP has said it will move the writ for that vote on Monday. The vote will then be held on either October 5 or 12.
