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| Former Conservative MP Rory Stewart standing down | Former Conservative MP Rory Stewart standing down |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Former Conservative leadership candidate Rory Stewart has said he will be standing down at the next general election. | Former Conservative leadership candidate Rory Stewart has said he will be standing down at the next general election. |
| The MP has also announced he has resigned from the Conservative Party. | The MP has also announced he has resigned from the Conservative Party. |
| Mr Stewart tweeted: "It's been a great privilege to serve Penrith and The Border for the last ten years." | Mr Stewart tweeted: "It's been a great privilege to serve Penrith and The Border for the last ten years." |
| He was expelled from the Conservatives in the Commons along with 20 other Brexit rebels but remained a member of the party. | He was expelled from the Conservatives in the Commons along with 20 other Brexit rebels but remained a member of the party. |
| Writing for his local newspaper, the Cumberland and Westmoreland Herald, he said: "As you will be aware, I am no longer allowed to run as Conservative MP in Penrith and The Border. | |
| "Because I have loved the constituency so much, I had considered standing as an Independent; but I have decided that I wouldn't want to run against those Conservative members who have been such wonderful colleagues over the last 10 years." | "Because I have loved the constituency so much, I had considered standing as an Independent; but I have decided that I wouldn't want to run against those Conservative members who have been such wonderful colleagues over the last 10 years." |
| In his newspaper column, he said he was "hugely grateful" for the support he had received from members of his local party, but added: "It should be no secret that there are also local party members who would rather I did not run again." | |
| "I don't want to test loyalties, destroy old friendships or push any of these issues any further. There is enough toxic division in British politics without importing it into Cumbria!" | |
| He said he would "stay involved in politics" and "continue to explain why I voted for a Brexit deal, while rejecting a no-deal Brexit". | |
| Prime Minister Boris Johnson expelled 21 MPs from the Parliamentary party at the start of September after they rebelled against him in a bid to prevent a no-deal Brexit. | |
| Some long-serving figures - such as Ken Clarke and Sir Nicholas Soames - are planning to stand down at the next election, while others, such as former Chancellor Philip Hammond and former attorney general Dominic Grieve - are reported to be considering standing as independents. | |
| Mr Stewart is a former foreign office official who was the deputy governor of two Iraqi provinces before entering politics. | Mr Stewart is a former foreign office official who was the deputy governor of two Iraqi provinces before entering politics. |
| He was elected to the Commons in 2010 and is a former international development secretary and prisons minister. | He was elected to the Commons in 2010 and is a former international development secretary and prisons minister. |
| He did better than initially expected in July's Conservative leadership contest, making it through the first round of voting after few gave him a chance, and eventually coming fifth. | He did better than initially expected in July's Conservative leadership contest, making it through the first round of voting after few gave him a chance, and eventually coming fifth. |
| A Remain supporter in the 2016 referendum, he went on to back then prime minister Theresa May's withdrawal deal. |