All The MPs Who Are Standing Down At The General Election

More than 60 MPs have announced they are standing down ahead of the December 12 general election, with some hinting at the toxic nature of modern politics during a wave of announcements.

Former cabinet minister Amber Rudd, who resigned from the cabinet and surrendered the Tory whip over Brexit in September, was among the series of high-profile parliamentarians to say last week they were getting out of Westminster.

She was followed by former cabinet colleague Nicky Morgan, the culture secretary, who alluded to the “clear impact on my family and the other sacrifices involved in, and the abuse for, doing the job of a modern MP”.

Tory former de-facto deputy prime minister Sir David Lidington and Conservative grandee Sir Patrick McLoughlin also said they would not seek re-election.

On Tuesday, former chancellor Philip Hammond announced he will quit parliament at the election and is “saddened” and “aggrieved” at having had the Conservative Party whip withdrawn.

In a dig at Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Hammond said: “The Conservartive Party that I have served has always had room for a wide range of opinions and has been tolerant of measured dissent.”

And Labour deputy leader Tom Watson on Wednesday became the biggest name in Jeremy Corbyn’s ranks to quit, saying he wanted to “start a different kind of life”. “The decision is personal, not political,” he said. 

They followed Ken Clarke, the longest serving MP in the House of Commons, and the Speaker of the House John Bercow giving notice before the vote was called this week.

Underlining the fraught state of politics, Liberal Democrat MP Heidi Allen said she will not stand as she declared that Brexit has “broken our politics”.

The former Tory said she is “exhausted by the invasion into my privacy and the nastiness and intimidation that has become commonplace”, adding that lines are too often crossed and the effect is “utterly dehumanising”.

As of November 6, 68 MPs had announced they were standing down at the election with around two weeks before the deadline for candidates.

The total included 29 Conservatives, 21 from the Labour Party, 12 Independents, three Lib Dems, two from Change UK and Bercow.

Here’s a full list of those stepping aside:

NOTE: Story updated as more MPs have announced their decision to stand down.