Former Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan has formally quit his Wakefield seat following his conviction for sexual assault.
Khan, who was convicted at Southwark Crown Court on April 11 after a trial over sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy, sent a letter triggering the resignation process last week.
The move came despite him declaring he would stand down on April 14 - meaning he received his full taxpayer-funded salary for last month.
He has now been appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, a formal mechanism allowing an MP to quit the Commons.
The disgraced politician had been resisting calls to resign until conceding it would be it “intolerable” for voters in the West Yorkshire constituency to have muted representation while he appeals the conviction.
He said he would quit the "cruel world" of politics and that the move would allow him to “focus entirely on clearing my name”.
His departure sets the stage for a critical by-election test for both Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer,
Wakefield was one of the traditional Labour heartlands seats seized by the Tories in the 2019 general election, known as the Red Wall.
Both party leaders will be under immense pressure to win the contest to show their approach is working.
The Prime Minister will be battling to hold onto voters who are being hammered by the cost of living crisis - and angered by the Partygate scandal.
But Mr Starmer faces a tough test of his own to win back people who deserted the Labour party during Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.
No date has been set for the Wakefield by-election, which is among a potential trio of tricky contests looming.
The Tories must defend Tiverton and Honiton following the resignation of disgraced Tory Neil Parish, who admitted to twice watching porn in the House of Commons.
Speculation is also mounting over whether there might be a by-election in Somerton and Frome after MP David Warburton was suspended by the Tories over sexual harassment allegations.
The claims are being examined by Parliament's Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS).
