Laura Gordon, the Liberal Democrats’ candidate for the constituency, has set up an online petition after Mr O’Mara went back on a promise to resign as soon as MPs were back in Westminster after the summer recess.

The Treasury confirmed last wek he had written to the Chancellor asking for his resignation to be ‘postponed', meaning he could be in line for a £22,500 pay-off should there be a General Election.

In a post on her website, introducting the petition, Ms Gordon, who is understood to be the favourite to take the seat, said: “Sheffield Hallam needs an MP that will vote in Parliament, fight for its interests and let people be heard.”

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Lib Dem candidate for Sheffield Hallam Laura Gordon.

Mr O’Mara had pledged in July that he would resign once parliament resumed saying he was in ‘no fit state to continue’.

But the Treasury confirmed on Tuesday that it had received a letter requesting that his resignation as Sheffield Hallam MP be ‘postponed’.

And despite Mr O’Mara postponing his resignation, he did not vote in Tuesday’s ballot which saw the The House of Commons vote 328 to 301 to take control of the agenda, allowing them to bring a bill requesting a Brexit delay today.

Jared O'Mara. Picture: Dean Atkins

Natalie Thomas, who was announced as the Green Party candidate last week, said it was very ‘sad’ that Mr O’Mara had chosen not to resign yet.

She added: “I think it’s very sad for the constituents. They need representation and they have needed representation for a while now and they’ve not had any.

“Everyone knows that it’s difficult times in politics at the minute but when you have a constituency as large as Hallam, it’s clearly very disappointing that Jared has decided not to resign yet.”

Labour candidate Olivia Blake, who resigned as deputy leader of the Sheffield Council, said Mr O’Mara had ‘broken his promise to resign’.

She said: “The people of Hallam need a voice in Parliament, even more so with such crucial votes coming up. We need a by-election as soon as possible.”

Should he stand in an election, Mr O’Mara would be eligible for a Loss of Office Payment (LOOP), equal to twice statutory redundancy entitlement awarded to members of the public, together with a two-month salary allowance and expenses for staff and removal.

He would also be paid his salary up until polling day and be entitled to request payment of an amount equal to the remainder of that month’s salary, which would then be deducted from his full LOOP entitlement.

The Star understands that Mr O’Mara would be eligible for a payment of around £22,500 plus expenses for shutting down his office.