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Salisbury MP will not stand again Salisbury MP will not stand again
(21 minutes later)
The MP for Salisbury, Robert Key, has announced he does not intend to stand at the next general election.The MP for Salisbury, Robert Key, has announced he does not intend to stand at the next general election.
Mr Key, 64, has served the constituency since 1983 and had recently been re-adopted as its candidate for the next general election. Mr Key, 64, has served the constituency since 1983 and had recently been re-selected as its candidate for the next general election.
His decision to quit the Commons is due to osteoarthritis which he said will "only get worse not better". His decision to quit the Commons is due to osteoarthritis, which he said will "only get worse, not better".
Mr Key thanked the people of Salisbury and South Wiltshire and said it had been "a privilege to represent" them.Mr Key thanked the people of Salisbury and South Wiltshire and said it had been "a privilege to represent" them.
Serenaded constituency
"This has been a hard decision to take with the prospect of a Conservative government within reach," he said."This has been a hard decision to take with the prospect of a Conservative government within reach," he said.
"It would be unfair to Salisbury constituency, unfair to the Conservative Party and unfair to my family to stand again knowing the risk I would be taking."It would be unfair to Salisbury constituency, unfair to the Conservative Party and unfair to my family to stand again knowing the risk I would be taking.
"Above all I thank the people of Salisbury and South Wiltshire for your support.""Above all I thank the people of Salisbury and South Wiltshire for your support."
When he retires as MP Mr Key will have served in six Parliaments for more than 27 years. When he retires as MP, Mr Key will have served for more than 27 years.
He was a minister in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major and a shadow minister under William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith and Michael Howard.He was a minister in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major and a shadow minister under William Hague, Iain Duncan-Smith and Michael Howard.
Each time he has been re-elected, Mr Key has serenaded the people of his constituency from the balcony of the White Hart Hotel.Each time he has been re-elected, Mr Key has serenaded the people of his constituency from the balcony of the White Hart Hotel.
He Key will leave a safe Tory seat, where he has a majority of 11,142. He will leave a safe Tory seat, where he has a majority of 11,142.