ormer Cop26 president Sir Alok Sharma has introduced he is not going to stand on the subsequent normal election.
The Tory former cupboard minister, who led the United Nations local weather change convention in Glasgow two years in the past, mentioned he’ll proceed to champion “local weather motion” in Parliament for the rest of his time as an MP.
His Studying West constituency, which he has held since 2010, can be topic to boundary adjustments on the subsequent normal election and can be renamed Studying West and Mid Berkshire.
Within the 2019 normal election, Sir Alok elevated his majority to 4,117 from 2,876 in 2017.
Writing on Twitter, now often called X, Sir Alok mentioned: ”I’ve this night knowledgeable my native Conservative Affiliation that I’ve determined to not stand on the subsequent normal election and subsequently don’t search to be adopted because the Conservative candidate for the revised seat of Studying West & Mid Berkshire. This has not been a straightforward resolution for me.
“It has been the honour of my life to function the MP for a constituency within the city the place I grew up and a privilege to serve in Authorities and symbolize the UK on the worldwide stage.
“My grateful because of all of the constituents, native organisations, charities and companies I’ve had the pleasure of working with, since being chosen because the parliamentary candidate in 2006, as we now have campaigned collectively on a complete vary of points to make our native space a greater place to dwell and work.
“I’ll proceed to help my Conservative colleagues and serve my constituents diligently for the rest of my time as an MP, in addition to champion in Parliament the causes I care deeply about, particularly local weather motion.”
Sir Alok was knighted for his contributions as a world chief within the effort to sort out local weather change within the 2023 New 12 months Honours Record.
His announcement comes a number of days after he raised considerations about Prime Minister Rishi Sunak weakening a bunch of pledges designed to assist the UK obtain a internet zero economic system by 2050.
In a sequence of tweets final week, Sir Alok wrote: “I’m involved about fracturing of UK political consensus on local weather motion.
“Chopping and altering insurance policies creates uncertainty for companies and the general public. In the end this makes it harder to draw funding and pushes up prices for customers.
“The UK has led the world on internet zero, local weather motion and tackling local weather change throughout the Cop26 local weather convention.
“Our worldwide companions have considerations concerning the stance taken.
“Main on a inexperienced progress agenda is sweet for the economic system, funding, jobs and the atmosphere.”
At first of September, Mr Sunak eased an efficient ban on new onshore wind farms in England to see off a threatened revolt by Conservative MPs, which had been led by Sir Alok.
His modification to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Invoice to finish the de facto ban had been signed by dozens of backbench Conservatives, together with ex-prime minister Liz Truss and a number of other different former ministers.
Greater than 70 MPs have introduced they won’t stand once more on the subsequent normal election.
These standing down embody Tory former cupboard ministers Dominic Raab, Matt Hancock and Sajid Javid, and the present Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
Labour former ministers Harriet Harman and Margaret Hodge have additionally mentioned they plan to step down, as has the SNP’s former chief at Westminster Ian Blackford and choose committee chairs Sir Invoice Money, William Wragg and Robin Walker.
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