One-time Labour leadership candidate and Pontypridd MP Owen Smith has announced he will stand down at December's general election.
The 49-year-old, who was first elected in May 2010 and spent more than three years as shadow Welsh secretary, was one of a handful of MPs who voted against Prime Minister Boris Johnson's bid to hold an election in December. You can find out how every Welsh MP voted here .
After that bill was overwhelmingly voted through on Tuesday Mr Smith wrote to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, whose leadership he unsuccessfully challenged in 2016, announcing his decision to stand down at the election in December.
"I write to inform you that, for political and personal reasons, I will not be standing at the forthcoming general election," he wrote.
"It has been an enormous privilege to serve as a Labour MP and I am truly proud to have represented my home town of Pontypridd over the last decade."
He added: "I would also like all of my constituents to know that it has been a great honour for me to serve as their member of Parliament."
Mr Smith posted the letter on Twitter, prompting Cardiff Central Labour MP to respond: "Very very sad to see this. A good man with Labour values in his heart and soul. Huge loss to us in Parliament and to Ponty."
Following the vote in the House of Commons backing going to the country before Christmas Mr Corbyn said: "This election is a once-in-a-generation chance to transform our country and take on the vested interests holding people back."
Mr Smith is one of seven incumbent Welsh MPs to announce they will not contest the next election.
Aberconwy MP Guto Bebb (Independent), Monmouthshire MP Glyn Davies (Conservative), and Clwyd West's David Jones (Conservative), along with Labour trio Ann Clwyd, Ian Lucas, and Albert Owen, had all already said they will not stand for re-selection at the next election.
