FORMER health secretary Sajid Javid has revealed he will not be standing as an MP again at the next general election.
The MP, who has twice ran to be PM, announced his plans in a letter to Paul Uppal, chairman of the Bromsgrove Conservative Association.
Sajid Javid will not stand again as an MP
Mr Javid said his decision not to stand in his fifth election was one he had “wrestled with for some time”.
He has been the Conservative MP for Bromsgrove since 2010.
The MP replaced Matt Hancock as Health Secretary after his affair with Gina Caladangelo forced him to quit.
But he quit his Cabinet role in July, as the first big name to call for Boris Johnson to resign, helping trigger his downfall 48 hours later.
Tory sources have told Trending In The News Mr Javid had hoped to return to the front benches under the new PM Rishi Sunak, but had been overlooked.
Party chiefs have given all serving MPs until Monday to decide if they want to stand at the next General Election – due before January 2025.
That has seen a dozen MPs announce they are throwing in the towel, including a number of younger “rising stars” only elected in 2019.
The Bromsgrove MP said this had “accelerated” his decision to quit – but promised to continue supporting Mr Sunak.
But in a coded threat he vowed today he would use his remaining time in Parliament to champion causes he cares about – possibly freeing him up to criticise government’s direction of travel
Javid said : “I am very proud of what we have achieved for Bromsgrove District and of my work in Parliament and Government.
“This decision will not mark the end of my Parliamentary activity, particularly for the causes I care deeply about. Nor will it impact my duties as a local MP on behalf of constituents across Bromsgrove.
“Being the local MP and serving in Government has been the privilege of my life and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to serve.
“I always sought to make decisions in the national interest, and in line with my values, and I can only hope my best was sufficient.
“I will of course continue to support my friend the Prime Minister and the people of Bromsgrove in any way I can.”
Mr Javid has also served as Home Secretary after Amber Rudd was forced to quit in the wake of the Windrush scandal.
Javid said he ‘wrestled’ with the decision
