Osborne quits but refuses to rule out return to Commons
GEORGE OSBORNE has stepped down as a Conservative MP but hinted that he could return to the Commons in future as fellow Tory remainers vowed to fight on ahead of the general election in June.
The former Chancellor announced he would not seek re-election as the MP for Tatton yesterday, but in a surprise move Ken Clarke vowed to serve again alongside Nicky Morgan and Anna Soubry who both campaigned for the UK to stay in the EU.
Mr Clarke had previously suggested he would be stepping down at the next election which was due in 2020, when he would be only a few weeks shy of 50 years in Westminster.
Mr Osborne, in a letter to constituents published by his new employer the Evening Standard, said: “I am step- ping down from the House of Commons – for now.
“But I will remain active in the debate about our country’s future and on the issues I care about, like the success of the Northern Powerhouse.
“I will go on fighting for that Britain I love from the editor’s chair of a great newspaper.
“It’s still too early to be writing my memoirs.”
Explaining his decision to step down a day after Theresa May announced a general election, he added: “At the age of 45, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life just being an ex-Chancellor. I want new challenges.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity to edit the Evening Standard. I’ve met the team there, and their energy and commitment to this great newspaper are positively infectious.”
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said Theresa May wishes Mr Osborne good luck in his new role.
They added: “She thanks him for his service, both to the party and to the country, and wishes him well.”
It came as former ministers Ms Morgan and Ms Soubry, both staunch remain-backing MPs, promised to fight the election and continue their campaign for a soft Brexit.
Nick Boles also confirmed he will stand for re-election after battling cancer last year.
He said that while he will not be able to play as energetic a role as he would have liked during the campaign he is confident that the disease will be eradicated and he will be able to serve as an MP for years to come.
But two other Conservative MPs have announced they will not stand again in June, Simon Burns and Angela Watkinson.
Mr Burns said it was time for a fresh face in the seat he has represented for 30 years, while Ms Watkinson has also resigned after suffering a small stroke last year.
Mr Osborne caused controversy earlier this year when he was announced as the new editor of the London-based free newspaper while retaining his seat as an MP alongside a number of other jobs.
Questions were raised about whether David Cameron’s former close ally would be able to retain his impartiality when editing a newspaper and voting on government policy in the Commons.
His resignation paves the way for the Conservatives to choose another candidate for his safe seat.
After resigning, Mr Osborne returned to the House of Commons and chose to sit with three of the most prominent Conservative remain-supporting MPs; Ms Morgan, Ms Soubry and Dominic Grieve, in what has been seen as a show of support for his former boss and for the Remain campaign.
He has been widely criticised since the referendum for “fear mongering” about how Brexit would damage the UK’s economic beyond repair.