How a recall petition works

If Ms Onasanya is sentenced to a year or more in prison (including if it is suspended) then she will lose her seat. Any custodial or suspended sentence of less than a year, once the appeal process has ended, would automatically trigger a recall petition.

Peterborough’s petition

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officer is notified by the Speaker of the House of Commons that a petition has been called

It must open no later than 10

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working days after the notification and be run over six weeks

In this time a new register

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must be published and all electors notified by letter of their Signing Place (effectively a polling station) with a map

Up to 10 Signing Places

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would be located around the city for registered electors to go and sign a petition slip (similar to a ballot paper) and place this in a ballot box at the station. Signing places would be open Monday to Friday and from 9am to 5pm (the opening times can be extended)

Electors can apply for a

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postal/proxy petition slip at any point during the six week period

All ballot boxes would be verified

• daily. It requires 10 per cent of the electorate in the constituency (around 7,000) to sign the recall petition for it to trigger a by-election. Ms Onasanya would be eligible to stand in it.