Former UK deputy prime minister Dominic Raab has introduced that he is not going to run for parliament on the subsequent common election, turning into the newest high-profile Conservative to sign his departure from politics.
His determination to step down follows his resignation as deputy prime minister, justice secretary and lord chancellor final month after an investigation into his conduct upheld two complaints.
Raab, who has represented the Surrey constituency of Esher and Walton since 2010, held on to the seat on the 2019 common election with a slim majority of two,743. It is among the Liberal Democrats’ essential goal seats within the so-called blue wall within the south of England.
“I’m writing to let of my determination to step down on the subsequent common election,” Raab wrote, in an trade of letters with the chair of his native Conservative Affiliation seen by the Telegraph newspaper. The MP additionally wrote that he had grow to be “more and more involved” in regards to the stress the job had positioned on this household.
In response to the information of Raab’s impending departure, the Lib Dems mentioned: “We might be combating onerous on the subsequent election to lastly give the folks of Esher and Walton the robust native champion they deserve.”
Outstanding Conservatives who’ve introduced they won’t stand on the subsequent common election embody former chancellor Sajid Javid, former well being secretary Matt Hancock and former atmosphere secretary George Eustice.
The following common election needs to be held by January 2025 and can see prime minister Rishi Sunak try and safe a fifth Tory victory. Latest polling has given Labour a double-digit lead.
Raab’s departure from frontline politics follows a five-month probe led by employment lawyer Adam Tolley KC.
The inquiry regarded into eight formal complaints lodged towards Raab throughout his time main the overseas workplace, Brexit division and justice ministry and located that he may very well be “abrasive” and at instances displayed “intimidating behaviour”.
In his resignation letter, Raab apologised “for any unintended stress or offence that any officers felt” working below him however argued that the report’s findings had been “flawed and set a harmful precedent for the conduct of fine authorities”.
“In setting the brink for bullying so low . . . It would encourage spurious complaints towards ministers, and have a chilling impact on these driving change on behalf of your authorities — and finally the British folks,” he wrote.
Throughout his political profession, Raab has held a number of high-profile roles, together with deputising for Boris Johnson in April 2020 when the then prime minister was in intensive care after contracting Covid-19.
Responding to his determination to step down, Angela Richardson, Tory MP for Guildford, described Raab on Twitter as a “unbelievable Surrey colleague” including that his “constituents will miss his dedication”.
Conservative MP for East Devon Simon Jupp mentioned that Raab was a “sensible boss” once they labored collectively within the International Workplace. He wrote on Twitter: “All the time throughout the element, he knew greater than most within the room in regards to the subject below dialogue. One other large loss from Parliament.”