Cabinet minister Michael Gove has become the latest high-profile Tory MP to announce he is standing down ahead of the July 4 election.
The Housing Secretary joined a growing parliamentary exodus as he praised Rishi Sunak for espousing “the very best virtues” of the Tory party but said “it is time to leave”.
Mr Gove, who has been MP for Surrey Heath since 2005, said: “I know the toll office can take, as do those closest to me. No-one in politics is a conscript.
“We are volunteers who willingly choose our fate. And the chance to serve is wonderful. But there comes a moment when you know that it is time to leave. That a new generation should lead.”
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In a letter to the chairman of Surrey Heath Conservatives posted on X, Mr Gove conceded he “undoubtedly made mistakes” throughout his political career but said he had always “tried to be a voice for those who have been overlooked and undervalued”.
In a show of support for Mr Sunak as campaigning for the General Election gets under way, he added: “We have a prime minister who I know exemplifies the patriotism, hard work, sense of selfless service and clarity of purpose which are the very best virtues of our party.
“He also has the policies which will guarantee a brighter, more prosperous future.”
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