A BY-ELECTION to replace former Tory MP Owen Paterson in North Shropshire will take place next month.
Shropshire Council confirmed the writ to trigger the vote had been received, and a notice of the election is due to be published on Friday.
The Standards Committee had recommended former Conservative minister Mr Paterson should be suspended from Parliament for 30 days after committing an "egregious" breach of a ban on paid lobbying by MPs.
After a botched Government bid to delay the suspension while also overhauling the standards system, Mr Paterson announced his resignation as MP for the constituency.
By-elections must take place between 21 and 27 working days from the issuing of a writ and a spokesman confirmed the by-election will take place on Thursday, December 16.
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