"I have decided that I will not be standing again"
Sajid Javid has announced that he will step down as an MP in the next general election, becoming the most high-profile Tory MP to do so.
Mr Javid said he made the decision “after much reflection”.
He said his decision had been accelerated by a Tory Party review, which is asking sitting MPs to indicate now whether they want to stand again by December 5, 2022.
Eleven other sitting Conservative Party MPs are set to quit at the next election, expected in 2024.
He announced his decision on Twitter, writing:
“After much reflection, I have decided that I will not be standing again at the next General Election.
“Serving as the Member of Parliament for Bromsgrove remains an incredible privilege, and I will continue to support the Government and the causes I believe in.”
In his announcement, Mr Javid had been thinking about the decision for some time.
Despite his decision, Mr Javid pledged that it would not impact his work as an MP during his remaining time in office, adding:
“I will of course continue to support my friend the Prime Minister and the people of Bromsgrove in any way I can.”
After much reflection I have decided that I will not be standing again at the next General Election.
Serving as the Member of Parliament for Bromsgrove remains an incredible privilege, and I will continue to support the Government and the causes I believe in. pic.twitter.com/qskUo5jjOR
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) December 2, 2022
In a reference to their shared love of Star Wars, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak paid tribute to Mr Javid by tweeting:
“May the Force be with you, Saj.”
Mr Javid’s announcement on the day Labour secured a majority in the City of Chester by-election, with stark warnings that such a swing nationally could cause the Conservative Party big problems the next time the country goes to the polls.
Sajid Javid has a large 23,000 majority in his Bromsgrove constituency.
Unlike some MPs, the boundaries of his seat are not due to be changed under a scheduled review of the electoral map.
Since entering Parliament in 2010, Sajid Javid has held ministerial or cabinet-level roles at six different government departments.
He was the first cabinet minister to announce he was quitting Boris Johnson’s government in July 2022, minutes before now-PM Rishi Sunak did the same.
Their departures led to a slew of further resignations that eventually resulted in Mr Johnson’s departure as Prime Minister.
Mr Javid then put himself forward to succeed Mr Johnson at this summer’s Conservative leadership contest but pulled out of the race ahead of the first round of voting by Tory MPs.
He threw his weight behind eventual winner Liz Truss, attacking her leadership rival Mr Sunak for saying tax cuts would have to wait until the economy grows.
He then backed Mr Sunak in his successful bid to replace Ms Truss in October 2022, but he was not given a ministerial position.
Mr Javid had stood to be Conservative leader once before in 2019 – when he was knocked out at the final round of Tory MPs’ voting.
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