This article is from the source 'guardian' 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.theguardian.com/politics/2014/mar/21/conservative-mp-peter-tapsell-stand-down-next-election
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Conservative MP Sir Peter Tapsell to stand down at next election | Conservative MP Sir Peter Tapsell to stand down at next election |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Sir Peter Tapsell, the longest-serving MP in the House of Commons, is to stand down at the next election. | Sir Peter Tapsell, the longest-serving MP in the House of Commons, is to stand down at the next election. |
| The 84-year-old member for Louth and Horncastle is the last sitting MP from the era of Harold Macmillan, having first entered the house in a byelection in 1957. | The 84-year-old member for Louth and Horncastle is the last sitting MP from the era of Harold Macmillan, having first entered the house in a byelection in 1957. |
| His Lincolnshire constituency is a safe Conservative seat, prompting immediate speculation that Boris Johnson, the London mayor, could contest it at the next election in a move that would clear the path for him to run as David Cameron's successor. | His Lincolnshire constituency is a safe Conservative seat, prompting immediate speculation that Boris Johnson, the London mayor, could contest it at the next election in a move that would clear the path for him to run as David Cameron's successor. |
| Tapsell himself reportedly prompted that rumour some time ago when he was overheard telling Cameron he was keeping his seat warm for Johnson. However, Johnson would probably need a London constituency if he were to continue as mayor for the last year of his tenure as well as being an MP. | |
| A well-known backbencher for most of his political career, Tapsell was knighted in 1985 and became a member of the privy council in 2011. He was due to announce his decision on Friday night at the annual meeting of Louth and Horncastle Conservative Association, but the news leaked out earlier. | A well-known backbencher for most of his political career, Tapsell was knighted in 1985 and became a member of the privy council in 2011. He was due to announce his decision on Friday night at the annual meeting of Louth and Horncastle Conservative Association, but the news leaked out earlier. |
| A former stockbroker and merchant banker, Tapsell was a persistent critic of Margaret Thatcher's economic policy and was named as the Tory MP who seconded Michael Heseltine's nomination for the leadership of the Conservative party in 1990. | A former stockbroker and merchant banker, Tapsell was a persistent critic of Margaret Thatcher's economic policy and was named as the Tory MP who seconded Michael Heseltine's nomination for the leadership of the Conservative party in 1990. |
| Tapsell was personal assistant to Sir Anthony Eden during the 1955 general election campaign. He went on to fight, and lose, a byelection at Wednesbury, Staffordshire, in 1957, but won West Nottingham from Labour in 1959, only to lose it in 1964. | Tapsell was personal assistant to Sir Anthony Eden during the 1955 general election campaign. He went on to fight, and lose, a byelection at Wednesbury, Staffordshire, in 1957, but won West Nottingham from Labour in 1959, only to lose it in 1964. |
| He was a frontbench opposition spokesman on treasury and economic affairs and on foreign affairs in the 1970s. | He was a frontbench opposition spokesman on treasury and economic affairs and on foreign affairs in the 1970s. |