Recall petition in Peterborough starts March 19th

6 March 2019, 18:50 | Updated: 6 March 2019, 18:52

The recall petition to ask residents if they want to keep or dump the MP for Peterborough - has begun.

The City Council have announced the six-week petition will open on Tuesday the 19th of March - the first time the process has been triggered in England.

Yesterday sitting MP Fiona Onasanya (pictured) lost her appeal to challenge her conviction for perverting the course of justice of a driving offence.

Everyone in Peterborough who is registered to vote will get a letter next week about the recall petition and where they can attend to sign.

You'll also be allocated one location where you can sign the petition if you feel the need for a by-election after what's happened with Fiona.

If you want her to stay - you don't sign.. it's as simple as that.

There will be 10 signing stations where people can attend to sign for the petition.

You'll go in - sign a petition slip and place it a ballot box during the six week period and if around 7000 sign the petition, Fiona WILL lose her seat - and by-election will be triggered.

MORE DETAILS

Petition officer Gillian Beasley has received official notification from the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow MP, that MP Fiona Onasanya is the subject of a recall petition.

As a result Peterborough City Council will launch the petition for the Peterborough parliamentary seat on Tuesday 19 March 2019.

Gillian said:

"I will be giving Fiona Onasanya notice of the recall petition personally so that she is aware the process is now underway.

This is the first time that a recall petition has been held in England and Wales and we have just ten working days to set up the process and make electors aware of their right to sign and how they can do so. We have planned carefully for this recall petition over a number of weeks in order to be ready to run the process efficiently and effectively."

Residents who are parliamentary electors will receive a letter next week about the recall petition and where they can attend to sign.

Each elector will be allocated a signing station.

There will be ten signing stations where people can attend to sign for the petition.

These will be at

* Werrington Library
* Bretton Library
* St Luke's Church on Mayor's Walk
* Peterborough Town Hall
* East Community Centre
* Dogsthorpe Library
* Eye Youth and Community Centre
* Bedford Hall in Thorney
* The Bull public house in Guntons Road, Newborough.

Registered electors will be able to attend and sign a petition slip and place this in a ballot box at the signing place.   

Signing places will be open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am to 5pm, on Tuesdays from 7am to 5pm and on Thursdays from 9am to 10pm.

Residents will have six weeks to sign the recall petition with it closing at 5pm on Wednesday 1 May 2019.

Anyone wishing to sign the petition by post may do so and can apply for a postal/proxy petition at any point during the 6 week period.

If ten per cent of the population, approximately 7,000 people, sign the petition, the MP would lose her seat and a by-election will be triggered. No updates on how many people have signed the petition can be given whilst the process is ongoing.

The result will be sent to the Speaker of the House of Commons on Wednesday 1 May 2019 and we must then await their reply before publishing

The process of running the recall petition is estimated to cost in the region of £500,000 which will be fully funded by the Government.