A RECALL petition which could oust Brecon and Radnorshire MP Chris Davies has opened today following his conviction over a false expenses claim.

The Conservative MP is only the third politician to face a recall petition since the provision was introduced in 2016.

If 10% of the electorate in Brecon and Radnorshire, which is 5,303 people, sign the petition over the next six weeks Mr Davies will lose his seat and there will be a by-election which he will be entitled to stand in.

The recall petition opened automatically as Mr Davies was convicted of an offence related to his Parliamentary expenses. He tried splitting the £700 cost for photographs, he was entitled to claim for, across two office budgets by creating two fake invoices.

He was fined £1,500 and ordered to carry out 50 hours unpaid work after admitting submitting a false invoice and attempting to do so. Fraud charges against him were dropped.

Mr Davies has apologised and said he had made a mistake. He also repaid the £450 he had claimed for with the balance never having been paid out.

The first MP to face a recall petition was Ian Paisley, for failing to declare holidays paid for by the Sri Lankan government, but that fell just short of the required number to force a by-election.

Earlier this month Peterborough MP Fiona Onasanya became the first to be removed by a recall petition.

More than a quarter of her constituents signed a petition after the MP, who has since been kicked out of the Labour Party, was jailed for lying about a speeding offence.

Here are the details of the petition

Petition signing period: 9am on Thursday, May 9 to 5pm Thursday, June 20

The designated petition signing places are

County Hall, Llandrindod Wells, LD1 5LG

Neuadd Brycheiniog, Cambrian Way, Brecon, LD3 7HR

Presteigne Library, Market Hall, Presteigne, LD8 2AD

Ystradgynlais Library, Temperance Street, Ystradgynlais, SA9 1JJ

Council Chamber, Broad Street, Hay-on-Wye, HR3 5BX

Clarence Hall House, Beaufort Street, Crickhowell, NP8 1BN

What times can people sign the petition?

Monday, 9am to 5pm (except spring bank holiday Monday)

Tuesday, 8am to 5pm

Wednesday, 9am to 8pm

Thursday, 9am to 5pm

Friday, 9am to 5pm

New applications to sign the petition by POST must be received by no later than 5pm on Wednesday, June 5, 2019.

New applications to sign the petition by PROXY must be received by no later than 5pm on Wednesday, June 12, 2019.