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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Byers to stand down at election | Byers to stand down at election |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Former cabinet minister Stephen Byers has announced he will quit Parliament at the next general election. | Former cabinet minister Stephen Byers has announced he will quit Parliament at the next general election. |
| The North Tyneside MP said he wanted to "pursue other interests", but insisted he would continue to support Labour. | The North Tyneside MP said he wanted to "pursue other interests", but insisted he would continue to support Labour. |
| He has been a fierce critic of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, openly discussing leadership challenges. | He has been a fierce critic of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, openly discussing leadership challenges. |
| Mr Byers, 56, quit as transport secretary in 2002 after an adviser said the 11 September terror attacks made it "a good day to bury bad news". | Mr Byers, 56, quit as transport secretary in 2002 after an adviser said the 11 September terror attacks made it "a good day to bury bad news". |
| 'Fresh challenges' | 'Fresh challenges' |
| He told a monthly meeting of the North Tyneside Labour party on Saturday: "By 2010 I will have held elected positions as an MP and councillor for 30 years. That's over half my life and is a long time - especially in modern politics. | He told a monthly meeting of the North Tyneside Labour party on Saturday: "By 2010 I will have held elected positions as an MP and councillor for 30 years. That's over half my life and is a long time - especially in modern politics. |
| "For me this is the right moment to move on in order to pursue other interests and look to fresh challenges." | "For me this is the right moment to move on in order to pursue other interests and look to fresh challenges." |
| Mr Byers served as schools minister after Labour won power in 1997, joining the cabinet as chief secretary to the treasury in 1998. | Mr Byers served as schools minister after Labour won power in 1997, joining the cabinet as chief secretary to the treasury in 1998. |
| He then moved to trade and industry secretary the same year and became secretary of state for transport, local government and the regions after the 2001 election. | He then moved to trade and industry secretary the same year and became secretary of state for transport, local government and the regions after the 2001 election. |
| On the backbenches, he was a high-profile Blairite ex-minister pushing for the government to stick to New Labour policies. | On the backbenches, he was a high-profile Blairite ex-minister pushing for the government to stick to New Labour policies. |