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Petition · past parliament

An automatic by-election should be called if an MP resigns the whip.

Rejected 21 signatures

What the petition asks

While MPs are elected to represent a constituency rather than a party, MPs must appreciate that party activists give their time to campaign for them and party money is used to fund their campaign. People may also vote for them because they represent a particular party.
Should an MP resigns the whip, it would seem fair to the party, the activists, the constituents and the MP themselves, that they check their constituents still want the MP to represent them through a by-election.

Why it was rejected

There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.

Automatic by-election if an MP resigns membership of their political party

Timeline

18 Feb 2019 Petition opened for signatures
22 Feb 2019 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 21
Status Rejected
Rejected 22 Feb 2019

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.