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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Matt Mathers and Andy Gregory

Mapped: All the MPs standing down at the next election

Getty Images

Dr Kieran Mullan has become the latest MP to announce that he will not stand in his constituency at the next general election.

The Crewe and Nantwich MP said a boundary review and changes in his personal life led to the decision.

He said he still enjoyed politics in “many ways” and did not rule out running again at a later date in a different seat.

He joins a growing number of Conservative MPs deciding to quit politics, including several high-profile ex-cabinet secretaries and other ministers. So far this year six Conservative MPs have announced they will not stand at the next election.

Kieran Mullan on the campaign trail with Sajid Javid
— (Kieran Mullan)

Alok Sharma, the former business secretary and Cop26 president, Sajid Javid, the former health secretary, Dominic Raab, the ex-justice secretary and Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, are among the other big-name Tories who have called it a day as their party struggles in the polls.

Mr Sharma and Mr Raab, who resigned from his cabinet position following a slew of bullying allegations which he denied, would have been defending majorities of fewer than 5,000 votes at the next national poll.

Most MPs walking away from Westminster are Conservatives, which is unsurprising given they are the biggest party, winning 365 seats at the 2019 election.

According to the Institute for Government, the 2010 election saw more than 100 MPs stand down, mainly from the Labour Party, which had been in power since 1997.

Some MPs also announced they were standing down after the expenses scandal the same year.

Of all the 92 MPs standing down ahead of the next national poll - expected in the spring or autumn of this year - 58 are Conservative.

Harriet Harman, the former Labour leader, Margaret Beckett, the former foreign secretary, and Ben Bradshaw, the former culture secretary are among the 16  Labour MPs standing down.

Nine SNP MPs, six independents - including former health secretary Matt Hancock - one Green, one Plaid Cymru and one Sinn Fein MP have also decided to call it a day.

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