The last 12 months will long be remembered as a turbulent year in Blackpool politics as 2024 delivered controversy, investigations and history-making. The Blackpool South constituency saw two Parliamentary elections in a matter of months following a rare recall petition.
MP Chris Webb successfully fought a by-election in May, before hitting the campaign trail just weeks later when a General Election was called. Meanwhile history was also made with the election of Blackpool’s first Reform party councillor in October.
The year saw investigations into the activities of Conservatives Paul Maynard, who represented Blackpool North and Cleveleys, Scott Benton (Blackpool South) and Mark Menzies (Fylde). All three were to disappear from the Fylde coast political scene in different ways – Scott Benton resigned as the recall vote went against him, Mark Menzies decided to step down at the General Election while Paul Maynard lost out to Lorraine Beavers in the newly formed Blackpool North and Fleetwood seat.
We take a look back at an eventful year in politics. A recall petition was launched on March 12 after Blackpool South MP Scott Benton became embroiled in a lobbying scandal and was suspended from Parliament.
Mr Benton resigned his seat before the outcome of the petition, which led to a by-election held on May 2. There were strong campaigns by all candidates as the outcome was seen as crucial, with future Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visiting Blackpool to support Labour’s candidate Chris Webb.
History was made at Blackpool Council with the delivery of babies born to two serving councillors for the first time
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Mr Webb subsequently swept to victory with nearly 59 per cent of the vote, while the Tories scraped into second place only just ahead of the Reform party. But only weeks later a General Election was called by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on May 22, with voters going to the polls on July 4, when Mr Webb retained his seat.
This time his share of the vote was reduced to 48 per cent, with Mark Butcher from Reform coming second with 28 per cent of the votes, and the Tories in third with 15 per cent. In January it had been revealed Paul Maynard was under investigation over claims he broke parliamentary rules by using taxpayer’s money to fund Conservative Party work and campaigning.
Future Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visiting Blackpool to support Labour’s candidate Chris Webb
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A report published in May by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) said Mr Maynard had broken expenses rules by producing ‘overtly political’ material for the Conservatives. But he had paid back £1,367 for using a state-of-the-art printer which should only have been used for constituency work.
He was cleared of wrongdoing over his ‘higher than average’ claim of £106,000 for printing and related costs since 2010 because he reasonably believed he had an agreement with Ipsa for the occasional use of his constituency office for non-parliamentary purposes, and made regular payments to Ipsa for this purpose. Mr Maynard’s seat had seen its boundaries redrawn ahead of the General Election, with it now reverting back to being Blackpool North and Fleetwood.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer
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On polling day he lost out to Labour’s Lorraine Beavers who secured 40 per cent of the votes, compared to his 29 per cent having held the seat since 2010. April saw Fylde Tory MP Mark Menzies announce he was standing down at the General Election after holding the seat since 2010.
His tenure had ended in controversy when he was accused of misusing political donations. An internal investigation into the allegations, denied by Mr Menzies, found while there had not been a misuse of party funds, the MP’s behaviour fell below the required standards and may have breached the Nolan principles of public life.
Scott Benton became embroiled in a lobbying scandal and was suspended from Parliament
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The Fylde MP had been accused of misusing political donations to cover his medical expenses and pay off ‘bad people’ who had locked him in a flat and demanded money for his release. In October Blackpool voted for its first Reform UK councillor after the party’s candidate Jim O’Neill won the Marton by-election – taking the seat from Labour.
The seat became vacant when previous councillor Sarah Smith stepped down after being elected as Labour MP for Hyndburn. Mr O’Neill received 462 votes, ahead of Labour’s Sam Benson with 334 votes, and Neil Harvey from the Conservative Party with 254 votes.
However there was reason for celebration in politics too when history was made at Blackpool Council with the delivery of babies born to two serving councillors for the first time. The arrival of Cillian Webb on February 11 2024 marked the first baby born to a sitting councillor in Blackpool, while Elijah Smith came into the world just over three weeks later on March 5.
They were born to Coun Portia Webb, who represents Tyldesley ward and is married to MP Chris Webb, and Sarah Smith, who represented Marton until she was elected as Hyndburn MP. The councillors were the first in Blackpool to take maternity leave from their council roles, which gave them six months off from attending meetings.
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