Where, when and how to sign Wellingborough and Rushden recall petition for voters to decide fate of Peter Bone MP

Electors in the Wellingborough and Rushden constituency – the current seat of disgraced MP Peter Bone – will soon be able to add their names to a petition that could see him lose his job.

The recall petition was triggered following the unopposed motion calling for his suspension from the House of Commons.

If 10 per cent of the 80,765 registered voters – 8,077 – sign the recall petition it would trigger a by-election in the Wellingborough parliamentary constituency.

From Wednesday, November 8, until Tuesday, December 19, those on the electoral register can sign in person, by post or by proxy.

Adele Wylie, North Northants Council’s returning officer and petitions officer, set out the recall petition process after notification of Peter Bone’s suspension.

Rules state that recall petitions must be opened within 10 working days of notice from the Speaker of the House of Commons’ office.

A recall petition is the process by which an MP can lose their seat in the House of Commons. The electorate in the relevant constituency will have six weeks to sign the petition. By signing, the electorate are saying that they want their MP to lose their seat. Only those who want to see the MP removed need to sign the petition.

‘Notices of Petition’ – like poll cards in a normal election – will be sent out on or around November 3, 2023.

The only way the petition can be closed early is if Mr Bone resigns or an early general election is called within six months of notice being received.

Recall petition

Who can vote? Those persons who are registered in the register of parliamentary electors for the Wellingborough constituency are able to sign the petition.

How can the petition be signed?

The recall petition may be signed in person, by post or by proxy. New voter ID requirements will apply to the signing of the petition.

- In person: Petitions can be signed in person from 9am to 5pm each day from Wednesday, November 8, closing on Tuesday, December 19 at the following locations:

Tithe Barn Offices, Tithe Barn Road, Wellingborough, NN8 1BN

Castle Theatre, Castle Way, Wellingborough, NN8 1XA

Wellingborough Rugby Football Club, Cutthroat Lane, Great Doddington, NN29 7TZ

Finedon Community Centre, 71 Wellingborough Road, Finedon, NN9 5LG

Rushden Historical Transport Society, John Clark Way, Rushden, NN10 0AW

Redwell Leisure Centre, Barnwell Road, Wellingborough, NN8 5LP

Parsons Hall, 104 High Street, Irchester, NN29 7AB

Council Buildings, Rushden Centre, Newton Road, NN10 0PT

The John White Golf Club, Bedford Road, Rushden, NN10 0SA

Those signing the petition will need to bring an accepted form of photo ID. Staff at the petition stations will ask for names and addresses so they can be found on the electoral register. They will check photo ID to see if it matches the petitioner. If ID is acceptable, a signing sheet will be handed over which can then be signed and placed in a ballot box.

- By post: If voters are already registered as a postal voter, they will automatically receive a signing sheet by post. They will need to return their completed signing sheet to the petitions officer before the end of the signing period. For those registered voters who do not want to visit a signing place (and are not already registered for postal voting), they can apply for a postal vote. The deadline to apply is 5pm on Monday, December 4 (11 working days before the close of the signing period).

- By Proxy: To sign by proxy, the registered voter will need to complete a proxy application form and return it to the elections team by 5pm on Monday, December 11, six working days before the close of the signing period. The person signing the petition on someone else’s behalf is a proxy, nominated by a registered voter. An appointed proxy must show their own accepted form of photo ID at the signing place before they can sign.

How will the signatures be counted?

Signing sheets will be verified every evening during the six-week period by the NNC election team. The process is to ensue the number of sheets in the ballot box matches the amount allocated by the signing place. All signing sheets will be counted face down and will be locked and stored in a secure location.

Once the recall petition closes at 5pm on December 19, the signatures from in-person, postal and proxy voters will be counted as soon as possible once the signing period ends – it must be done no later than one day after.

If at least 10 percent of eligible voters have signed the petition, the petition is successful. This means the MP will leave their seat once the petition officer has informed the Speaker of the House of Commons of the outcome of the petition. If the petition is successful, it will then trigger a by-election. It is likely that this would be held in late January/early February.

If fewer than 10 percent of eligible voters sign the petition, the petition is unsuccessful, and the MP remains in post.

The outcome will be announced to the public either way.

On October 16 the Independent Expert Panel (IEP) published a report on Peter Bone MP. A complaint was made about Mr Bone under Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS).

Following an investigation by an independent investigator, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards upheld five allegations of bullying and one of sexual misconduct. Mr Bone appealed this decision to the IEP but it was dismissed by the IEP sub-panel appointed to consider that case.

Mr Bone denies the incidents took place and has criticised the investigation.