Amber Rudd to quit parliament at general election
Former Home Secretary Amber Rudd has said she will not stand in December’s general election, but will likely return to the Conservative party before leaving.
She joined Patrick McLoughlin, former transport secretary and Conservative party chairman, who also announced this morning he would not be contesting his seat at the snap election.
Read more: Therese Coffey replaces Amber Rudd as work and pensions secretary
Rudd took to Twitter to make the announcement.
“Moving on,” she said.
“Good luck to colleagues in forthcoming [general election].”
Rudd left the Conservative party, and her position as work and pensions secretary, last month over fears that Boris Johnson was trying to force through a no-deal Brexit.
She left the party shortly after 21 Conservative MPs had the whip removed for voting with opposition parties to block a no-deal Brexit.
Ten have now had the whip restored, while the other 11 are reportedly being considered for re-admission to the party.
Rudd told the Evening Standard that she has also formally asked to have the party whip returned to her so she could leave Westminster as a Tory MP.
Rudd added that she would leave Westminster “on good terms” with the Prime Minister.
“I will be leaving the House of Commons on perfectly good terms with the Prime Minister and I want him to succeed,” she said.
“I’m happy to leave the House of Commons as a Conservative MP.”
Rudd’s announcement has now created urgency to select a candidate in her constituency of Hastings and Rye.
Read more: Ten ex-Tory rebels set to have the whip restored by Boris Johnson
Rudd held onto the marginal constituency by the slimmest of margins in 2017, after beating out Labour candidate Peter Chowney by just 336 votes.
Chowney will stand in Hastings and Rye again while Nick Perry will stand for the Liberal Democrats.