Shadow cabinet member WON'T stand at election as 12th Labour MP opts not to contest seat
SHADOW cabinet member Dave Anderson has become the 12th Labour MP to state that he will not contest his seat at the upcoming General Election.
Jeremy Corbyn SLAMS 'morally bankrupt' Conservatives
The shadow Scotland and Northern Ireland Secretary, 63, will step down from his Blaydon constituency after a sizeable 12-year career in Parliament.
Mr Anderson said that he was not going to stand again due to personal and health reasons as the nation prepares to head to the polling stations on June 8.
Also announcing they will be leaving the Westminster village today was Fiona Mactaggart who said that she was disillusioned with the state of party politics and Lewisham MP Jim Dowd.
The former shadow Home Secretary Andy Burnham previously stated they will not be standing at the next election as they focus on their respective mayoral contests.
Amongst other Labour MPs standing down are Tom Blenkinsop and Alan Johnson.
Steve Rotherham, who is currently MP for Liverpool Walton is expected to stand down so he can contest the city’s mayoral race.
Mr Anderson said: “The calling of this election is nothing more than a cynical attempt by the Tories to put their interests before our country.
“However, the decision has been made and I welcome the chance to take Labour's case out to the people of Blaydon.
“I have reluctantly decided that for reasons of health, age and my family's needs, I cannot commit to another five years in Parliament.
“To that end I will stand down, but I will be campaigning hard with our new candidate and the positive policy platform put forward by our Leader, Jeremy Corbyn, and the whole Labour movement.”
Ms Mactaggart said in her statement that while she was proud of her record in Parliament she admitted she was “bored by political squabbles”.
She said: “I have been depressed by the way the fantastic capacity in the voluntary sector is being run down by lack of funds or poor leadership.
“I have been bored by political squabbles over personalities and I know I don't still have the passion which has driven my politics for 20 years.”
Mr Turnham, who came second to Jeremy Corbyn in the party’s leadership contest in 2015, stated: “I have also seen at close quarters how our centralised and still part-unelected political system works better for some places than it does for others.
“During my 16 years of travelling up and down the West Coast Main Line, I have seen the North-South divide widen significantly.”
He added: “I believe the arrival of devolution in England represents the best chance we will ever get to secure a more equal country and make politics work better for people. That is why I have decided to devote myself to it.”
Senior Labour MPs Gisela Stuart and Iain Wright both confirmed yesterday they would be standing down at the election, joining Alan Johnson, Tom Blenkinsop, Andrew Smith and Pat Glass.
Potentially even more embarrassing for Mr Corbyn as he leads the party towards the election was last night’s defection by MP Bob Marshall-Andrews to the Liberal Democrats.
He said: “At present there is manifestly a huge vacuum on the centre-left represented in substantial part by the 48 per cent of the electorate who rejected Brexit and the lies on which it was based.
“To many, including me, there was a forlorn hope that a reformed and radical Labour Party would rise to historic occasion. It has not and shows no real sign of doing so.”
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: “Bob, like many progressive Labour people, is coming over to the only party that is offering a credible opposition to a divisive Tory Brexit government.”
The news comes as Labour faces an uphill struggle to gain power, if the latest opinion poll is to be believed.
The latest YouGov/Times survey of 1,727 people put the Conservatives on 48 per cent, commanding a sizeable lead over Labour with 24 and the Liberal Democrats on 12.
Ukip were losing ground on just seven per cent.
It is the largest level of support for the Tories since May 2008 when Gordon Brown was in Number 10.
When asked who would make the best Prime Minister, 54 per cent of those asked said Theresa May, while only 15 per cent backed Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
A Labour Party spokesperson told Express.co.uk: “We’re not giving a running commentary on selections.”
Meanwhile Conservative MP for Chelmsford Sir Simon Burns confirmed that he would not be standing.