This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37342152
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| David Cameron to quit as Conservative MP for Witney | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron is to stand down as an MP, triggering a by-election in his Oxfordshire seat of Witney. | Former UK Prime Minister David Cameron is to stand down as an MP, triggering a by-election in his Oxfordshire seat of Witney. |
| Mr Cameron, who resigned as prime minister after June's EU referendum, said he did not want to be a "distraction" for new PM Theresa May. | |
| He had said he would continue as an MP until the next general election. | |
| The 49-year-old, who has represented Witney since 2001, became Conservative leader in 2005 and PM in 2010. | |
| Speaking in his constituency, he said it had been a "great honour" to be an MP for the area, but said it would be difficult for him to remain on the backbenches without becoming "a big distraction and a big diversion" from the work of the new government. | |
| He denied his announcement was related to the government's moves towards allowing new grammar schools, a policy he rejected as PM. | |
| He said the timing - which came after a period of reflection over the summer - was coincidental, adding that there were "many good things" in the proposed education reforms. | |
| He said Mrs May - his former home secretary - had been "very understanding" when he told her of his decision, saying she had "got off to a cracking start" as prime minister. | |
| Asked about his legacy, and whether he would be remembered as the prime minister that took the UK out of the European Union, he said he hoped his tenure would be recalled for a strong economy and "important social reforms" and that he had transformed a Conservative Party that was "in the doldrums" into a "modernising force". | |
| Mr Cameron won a 25,155 majority in 2015 in Witney, which has been held by the Conservatives since 1974. | |
| He said he had not made any "firm decisions" on what to do next, adding that he wanted to continue to contribute to public life. | |
| Conservative MPs paid tribute to Mr Cameron on Twitter, saying he had been an "outstanding" prime minister who would be a "big loss" to Parliament. | |
| But Labour's Angela Eagle declined to add her voice to the tributes, telling the BBC Mr Cameron had "put his whole country at risk to settle a debate in his own party" through the EU referendum. | |
| "He has now walked away leaving others to clear up the mess." | |
| Mr Cameron initially became prime minister in coalition with the Liberal Democrats, before securing an overall majority in 2015. | |
| He pressed ahead with his pledge to hold a referendum on the UK's EU membership - campaigning hard for a Remain vote and warning of the economic and security consequences of Brexit. | |
| But he finished on the losing side, resigning the day after the vote, saying outside Downing Street that "fresh leadership" was needed. |