What is expected to happen with Sheffield Hallam MP Jared O'Mara's planned resignation as parliament resumes on Tuesday

The Government is expected to begin processing the planned resignation of Sheffield Hallam MP Jared O’Mara when it resumes after the summer recess on Tuesday.
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The Queen approved Boris Johnson’s request to suspend Parliament no earlier than September 9 and no later than September 12, until October 14 earlier this week – meaning there could be just a week for Mr O’Mara’s resignation to be dealt with.

The MP, who has endured a turbulent two years in office, has formally notified the Government he intends to resign, the Treasury confirmed last week.

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Dr Felicity Matthews, a senior politics lecturer at Sheffield University, said: “The Government can’t do anything until Parliament is sitting because the Speaker has to issue a writ. Parliament is still resuming on September 3 so, in theory, his resignation should not affected.

Jared O'Mara MP for Sheffield HallamJared O'Mara MP for Sheffield Hallam
Jared O'Mara MP for Sheffield Hallam

“But if there is a General Election, that might affect the timing of a by-election because it could be tied in with that.

“I can’t see why it wouldn’t be dealt with next week unless Parliament changes the dates of the suspension.”

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Mr O’Mara was reportedly arrested on suspicion of fraud earlier this month, alongside his chief of staff Gareth Arnold, who, it is alleged, was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit fraud.

Both men were released pending further investigation.

The Treasury confirmed it had received a ‘short contact’ from Mr O’Mara confirming his intention to resign.

Dr Matthews said MPs cannot directly resign their seat and instead they apply to be appointed to two historic ‘offices’ – the Crown Steward and Baliff of the Manor of Northstead – with the chancellor, currently Savid Javid, issuing the writ.

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By law, taking on one of these titles immediately bars a person from being an MP and that is when the Sheffield Hallam seat would become ‘vacant’.

The lecturer added: “There was always a relatively short period of opportunity for this to happen because even without the suspension, Parliament was always going to be suspended during for the party conferences in late September anyway.”

Boris Johnson said a Queen’s Speech would take place after the suspension, on 14 October, to outline his ‘very exciting agenda’.

Mr O’Mara could not be reached for comment.