Panicking Tories are considering their futures ahead of the next general election.
After 13 years in power, they are staring down the barrel of a Labour victory next year if Rishi Sunak fails to revive to party's fortunes.
The Prime Minster lost two Tory-held seats in a trio of by-elections on July 20 - and clung onto Boris Johnson's old seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip by fewer than 500 votes. It comes after the Tories were hammered at the polls in the local elections in May, losing more than 1,000 councillors across England.
The dire results have blown apart the fragile truces between the party's warring factions and led to grumblings over Mr Sunak's leadership. The Tory chaos and infighting comes against a backdrop of bleak economic forecasts as Brits face an unprecedented cost of living crisis.
Liz Truss has let it be known that she intends to stand again - despite being forced out of Downing Street by their own MPs. But it’s enough for Tory big beasts Sajid Javid, Ben Wallace and Matt Hancock - and a handful of high-profile, young MPs to announce they’re throwing in the towel in 2024 and going back to a ‘normal’ life.
Some Labour MPs have also announced they won't stand again at the next election. But while Labour’s departing MPs are mostly aged 60 or over, the quitting Conservatives include Red Waller Dehenna Davison, aged just 29, and 34-year-old William Wragg.
Here’s the list of Tory MPs stepping down at the next election:
George Eustice, 51. Majority in Camborne and Redruth: 8,700. Former Environment Secretary, a role which he described as his "dream job". He was elected in 2010 and is stepping down as he wants "the opportunity to do a final career outside politics".
Mark Pawsey, 65. Majority in Rugby: 13,447. Senior backbencher who served as a private secretary in the Business Department. First elected in 2010 but stepping down after a "great deal of consideration".
Sajid Javid, 52. Majority in Bromsgrove: 23,106. Former Cabinet Minister, who has had a string of top Government jobs, became the first Tory big beast to announce plans to quit. He said he had "wrestled" with the decision.
Douglas Ross, 39. Majority in Moray: 513. The Scottish Tory leader has said he will stand down as an MP to focus on being an MSP at Holyrood. He made enemies among Boris Johnson's allies by calling for the ex-PM to quit over Partygate.
Dehenna Davison, 29. Majority in Bishop Auckland: 7,962. Red Wall MP who became the first Tory in a Labour stronghold stunned Westminster by stepping back, saying she hasn't "had anything like a normal life for a 20-something".
William Wragg, 34. Majority in Hazel Grove: 4,423. Was an outspoken critic of both Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, and accused No10 of “blackmailing” MPs into keeping Boris Johnson in office.
Chloe Smith, 40. Majority in Norwich North: 4,738. Short-lived Cabinet minister, who was Parliament’s youngest MP when she joined in 2009, left government after Liz Truss’s ousting. Friends say battling breast cancer in 2020 gave her a new perspective.
Chris Skidmore, 41. Majority in Kingswood: 11,220. Rishi Sunak's net-zero tsar, whose uni band once sang a lurid song about the Queen Mother’s death, said his kids “deserve to see more of their father” and his seat is being axed in its current form.
Andrew Percy, 45. Majority in Brigg and Goole: 21,941. Quit as his constituency is abolished in the boundary review, saying “I’ve done it for longer than I ever expected or intended.”
Sir Charles Walker, 55. Majority in Broxbourne: 19,807. Procedure geek - who once carried around a pint of milk to demonstrate his freedom - has a huge majority but has been scathing of the recent chaos in the Tory party.
Adam Afriye, 57. Majority in Windsor: 20,079. The MP, who has been in Parliament since 2005, announced his intention to step down in July 2022. A few months later, he made bankrupt after a court heard he owed around £1.7million to the taxman and the bank.
Crispin Blunt, 62. Majority in Reigate: 18,310. Ex-minister said he would stand down as he marked 25 years in Parliament, saying each session has been more “tumultuous” than the last.
Sir Mike Penning, 65. Majority in Hemel Hempstead: 14,563. Ex-minister said “whilst I have by no means reached my ‘sell by date’, I may be described as having reached my ‘best before date’ and it is now time to allow a new candidate.”
Sir Gary Streeter, 67. Majority in South West Devon: 21,430. Perhaps the least controversial resignation, the MP since 1992 wrote: “The time has come for me to step back and let a younger person take over.”
Matt Hancock, 44. Majority in West Suffolk: 23,194. The ex-Health Secretary lost the whip after abandoning his constituents to join ITV's I'm a Celebrity - but said he would not stand again for the Conservatives.
Edward Timpson, 49. Majority in Eddisbury: 18,443. A member of the 2019 intake, Mr Timpson is standing down after only one term. He said: "I turn 50 this year, and want to use this opportunity… to return in part to legal practice, but also advocacy roles for vulnerable children and families."
Jo Gideon, 70. Majority in Stoke-on-Trent: 670. The MP snatched the 'Red Wall' seat from Labour in 2019 but has already decided to call it quits. She said she had not "come to this decision lightly".
Sir Paul Beresford, 76. Majority in Mole Valley: 12,041. Tory veteran has represented the safe seat of Mole Valley since 1997. He previously led Wandsworth Council - famously Margaret Thatcher's favourite local authority. His constituency is expected to fall victim to boundary changes at the next election.
Stephen McPartland, 46. Majority in Stevenage: 8,562. An MP since 2010, Mr McPartland said he was stepping down after a "much soul searching". He said: I will always support the Conservatives as the party that gave a working class kid from Brixton the opportunity to become Prime Minister."
Robin Walker, 44. Majority in Worcester: 6,758. The former Schools Minister is bowing out at the next election after 13 years as an MP. He said that his young family "needs me to be more present and that the strains of living in two places and weekend commitments involved with the life of an MP, are not ones I can continue to sustain".
Sir Graham Brady, 55. Majority in Altrincham and Sale West: 6,139. Longstanding Tory 1922 Committee chairman said he would step down after 26 years as an MP. The senior Conservative backbencher oversaw no-confidence votes in both Theresa May and Boris Johnson - and famously never revealed how many letters of no confidence he'd received from mutinous Conservatives.
Pauline Latham, 75. Majority in Mid Derbyshire: 15,385. The MP behind new legislation to ban child marriage announced she will retire at the next election after thinking "long and hard" about her future. "Life can be tough when families are separated each week and I think it is time I put them first," she wrote in a letter to the PM.
Gordon Henderson, 75, Majority in Sittingbourne & Sheppey: 24,479. After almost 20 years representing the area, the Tory MP posted on his website said: "I’ve done my bit for my community, my country, and my party. I believe the time is right for me to retire and let a younger person pick up the reins."
Henry Smith, 53. Majority in Crawley: 8,360. After having been MP for the area since 2010, he said: ”It is time for a new generation, I will not be seeking re-election as Crawley’s MP. It has been a great honour to represent the constituency in Parliament ."
John Howell, 67. Majority in Henley: 14,023. The MP has served in the seat since 2008 - but said in a statement that he wanted to "pursue other avenues". His seat was held by Mr Johnson before 2008 and will no doubt re-start rumours the ex-PM may want to flee his smaller majority in Uxbridge and South Ruislip for the safer Tory seat of Henley.
Sir Julian Knight, 51. Majority in Solihull: 21,273. The MP was suspended from the Tory party after a serious sexual assault allegation, which he denied, was made against him last year. His request to have the whip restored after the police dropped the case was rejected. He said: "I will not be standing for the Conservatives or any other party at the next general election… no job or political career is worth this.” He has served as MP for Solihull since 2015.
Matthew Offord, 53. Majority in Hendon: 4,230. An ardent Brexiteer and Boris Johnson-backer, Mr Offord has decided to step down after 13 years in Parliament. He said: "My elected status has required great sacrifices in my personal and professional lives, and I have concluded that the next general election is the time for me to leave the baton for someone else to take up."
Craig Whittaker, 60, Majority in Calder Valley: 5,774. The former whip is quitting ahead of a major shake-up of the boundaries of his constituency. "I only ever wanted to be a good local MP, not a career politician," he said.
Jonathan Djanogly, 57, Majority in Huntingdon: 19,383. The former minister said he would step down after 22 years, ahead of boundary changes to the shape of his constituency.
Sir Alister Jack, 59, Majority in Dumfries and Galloway: 1,805. The Scotland Secretary said: "I've been very clear in saying that I will not be standing at the next general election." But he left the door open to accepting a peerage after reports Boris Johnson wanted to hand him a gong.
Sir Robert Goodwill, 66. Majority in Scarborough and Whitby: 10,270. Elected in 2005, Sir Robert told the Scarborough News: “Too many MPs go on too long in my experience. Now is the time to let someone else younger take over."
Richard Bacon, 60. Majority in South Norfolk: 21,275. After serving as MP for the constituency for 22 years, Mr Bacon, told community radio station Park Radio: "It has been an honour and a privilege to do this job." It comes after concerns were raised about his "visibility" with members of South Norfolk Conservative Association having told him they did not want him to stand again.
Philip Dunne, 64. Majority in Ludlow: 23,648. The former minister said he was "honoured" to have been an MP since 2005. He said politics had changed significantly during this time, particularly social media "transforming accessibility of MPs and expectations of constituents of what their MP can do for them."
Dominic Raab, 49. Majority in Esher and Walton: 2,743. The former Deputy PM and Justice Secretary was forced to quit Rishi Sunak's Cabinet over bullying allegations from civil servants. He told his constituency association he wouldn't fight the next election as he was concerned about the impact of his job on his young family. He is also defending a tiny majority against a growing threat from the Liberal Democrats.
Will Quince, 40. Majority in Colchester: 9,423. After serving as an MP since 2015, Mr Quince said he would stand down at the next election because being an MP and Health minister is "all consuming" and meant he was "neglecting" his job at being a good dad to his two young daughters. He added he has "not yet decided what the future holds".
Royston Smith, 59. Majority in Southampton Itchen: 4,498. The former Southampton City Council leader will not stand again in his hotly contested marginal seat, which he first won in 2015. He told his local paper the Daily Echo: "Nothing stays the same for very long and I feel it is time to pass the baton to a new generation."
Sir Bill Cash, 83. Majority in Stone: 19,945. The oldest sitting MP will have been in Parliament for 40 years by the time of the next election, after being first elected in 1984. "I have loved every minute, but it is nonetheless, a big wrench," he told the Stoke Sentinel.
Lucy Allan, 58. Majority in Telford: 10,941. Elected in 2015 as the first Tory MP to represent Telford, Allen said the area had flourished "against the odds, and despite many local and national challenges". She gave no reason for standing down after 10 years as an MP.
Steve Brine, 49. Majority in Winchester: 985. The current chair of the Commons' health and social care select committee, who was first elected as an MP in 2010, announced he will be standing down as it was time to consider a “new chapter” in his life.
Chris Clarkson, 41. Majority in Heywood and Middleton: 663. Despite only being elected in 2019, Mr Clarkson said he would not fight the next election following boundary changes in Greater Manchester. He said: "Following the Boundary Review's recommendation that the current Heywood and Middleton seat be replaced by a new Heywood seat and a new Manchester Blackley seat I have decided not to seek selection for either."
Ben Wallace, 53. Majority in Wyre and Preston North: 16,781. The Defence Secretary said he planned to resign from Cabinet at the next reshuffle and would quit politics at the next election. Despite being wildly popular with the Tory grassroots, the former soldier has twice resisted running for the party leadership. He told the Sunday Times: "I went into politics in the Scottish parliament in 1999. That's 24 years. I've spent well over seven years with three phones by my bed."
Trudy Harrison, 47. Majority in Copeland: 5,842. After being elected in a high-profile by-election in 2017, Harrison has held ministerial posts in the Department of Transport and Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs. She was a supporter of Boris Johnson and served as his parliamentary aide. Her constituency is being scrapped under the boundary review and replaced by a new seat of Whitehaven and Workington.
Stephen Hammond, 61. Majority in Wimbledon: 628. After serving the Southwest London constituency since 2005, Mr Hammond said the decision had not been "easy" but that he and his wife Sally have been faced with "increased caring responsibilities" for their elderly parents in recent years. Mr Hammond maintained that he thought the Tories could hold his seat "despite the national picture".
Sir Alok Sharma, 56. Majority in Reading West: 4,117. The former Cabinet minister, who chaired the Cop26 climate change summit in Glasgow, revealed he was standing down days after Rishi Sunak backtracked on the Government's eco targets. Sir Alok said: “It has been the honour of my life to serve as the MP for a constituency in the town where I grew up and a privilege to serve in government and represent the UK on the international stage."
Stuart Anderson, 47. Majority in Wolverhampton South West: 1,661. Elected in 2019, Mr Anderson said he was choosing to stand down "for personal family reasons". He said serving the constituency had been the "greatest honour of my lifetime" but that sustained threats of violence and intimidation against him and his family had influenced his decision to step down.
Nicola Richards, 28. Majority in West Bromwich East: 1,593. Also a part of the 2019 General Election intake, Ms Richards said she was standing down due to a "change in domestic circumstances". She said serving as an MP had been "the privilege of my life".
Andy Carter, 49. Majority in Warrington South: 2,010. Elected as a Tory MP in the 2019 general election, Mr Carter now plans to "pursue new opportunities". “It is a tremendous honour to be able to represent all Warrington South residents in Parliament," he said. It was reported in April that Mr Carter could have the option to stand in another seat at a general election.
David Jones, 71. Majority in Clwyd West: 6,747. Having been elected in the Wales seat five times since 2005, Mr Jones has held various government positions including Welsh Secretary between 2012-2014 and Brexit minister under Theresa May. He played a central role in the Welsh Vote Leave campaign. Mr Jones has announced he will stand down in the past but decided to run again in the 2019 snap election.
Chris Grayling, 61. Majority in Epsom and Ewell: 17,873. An MP for more than 20 years, Mr Grayling was first elected in 2001. He has served in multiple government positions, most recently as Transport Secretary from 2016-2019, as well as Justice Secretary from 2012-2015. He was also Leader of the House of Commons between 2015 and 2016. The MP, who was successfully treated for prostate cancer earlier this year, said it was "time for change" after the diagnosis.
John Baron, 64. Majority in Basildon and Billericay: 20,412. First elected in 2001, Mr Baron held the role of Shadow Health Minister in the early 2000s when the Conservatives were in opposition. Announcing "the time has come for me to move on" after what will be 23 years' of service, Mr Baron said: "It has been a great honour and privilege to serve my constituents."
Nick Gibb, 63. Majority in Bognor Regis and Littlehampton: 22,503. First elected in 1997, Mr Gibb will have served for more than 25 years by the time the next general election takes place. He has served as Schools Minister for a total of nine years (with intervals) over the course of his parliamentary career, with him only being moved from the role in November 2023. In his resignation letter, Mr Gibb said he was worried about "growing cynicism and hostility" towards politicians.
Bob Stewart, 74. Majority in Beckenham: 14,258. Mr Stewart, who was elected in 2010, sits as an Independent MP after losing the Tory whip in November 2023 after being found guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence. A fortnight later he announced he'd be standing down at the next election, saying "it is time for a new candidate".
Sir James Duddridge, 52. Majority in Rochford and Southend East: 12,286. An MP since 2005, Sir James has served in a range of government roles including International Trade Minister - a position Rishi Sunak sacked him from. He said it "has been an honour to serve as the MP for Rochford and Southend East" and that he looks forward to "new challenges".
And here’s the list of Tory MPs who have gone already:
Nadine Dorries, 65. Majority in Mid-Bedfordshire: 24,664. The close ally of the ex-PM Boris Johnson announced she would stand down at the next election, before changing her mind and quitting with immediate effect. However she still hasn't formally resigned.
Boris Johnson, 58. Majority in Uxbridge and South Ruislip: 7,210. The former PM had repeatedly insisted that he would stand again in the North West London seat where he'd been the MP since 2015. But he quit with immediate effect after being told he faced the threat of a by-election as a Commons committee was about to find he misled MPs.
Nigel Adams, 55. Majority in Selby and Ainsty: 20,137. The former Asia Minister, who was one of Boris Johnson's closest allies, revealed he would step down after more than a decade in Parliament. He followed Mr Johnson and Mrs Dorries by quitting immediately, triggering a by-election.
David Warburton, 57. Majority in Somerton and Frome: 19,213. Former Tory MP was suspended by the party after allegations of sexual harassment and cocaine use. He said he'd made "a ridiculous decision and a silly mistake" and claimed he had been "led down a pathway".
Chris Pincher, 53. Majority in Tamworth: 19,634. The former deputy chief whip was forced to quit after allegations he groped two men in a private members' club. He stood down as he faced the prospect of a by-election.
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