75 Tory MPS decide not to seek reelection in UK

LONDON: Several more Conservative lawmakers announced on Friday they would not seek reelection at the forthcoming UK general election, seting a post-war record for the number of Tory MPS standing down.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has seen a growing exodus from his party ahead of the July 4 vote, with 75 Conservatives now announcing that they are retiring from parliament.

That is more than the previous post-1945 high of 72 who quit prior to Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide win for Labour, which is expected to triumph again this year. The departures add to a feeling that the Conservatives are on track to be kicked out of power ater 14 years, although Labour require a big swing to secure a majority in parliament.

“Bionic MP” Craig Mackinlay, who returned to parliament this week with prosthetic arms and legs following a quadruple amputation, had initially said he would seek re-election.

But in a statement to right-wing broadcaster GB News on Friday, Mackinlay said he had decided to listen to his “head” rather than his “heart” and would now depart parliament.

“It would be difficult to withstand the rigours of an all-out election campaign, a campaign that I’d always wish to lead from the front,” he said.

“Thereater, upon being re-elected it would be difficult for me to sustain 70- to 80-hour working weeks, which were the norm prior to my illness.”

Eurosceptic Tory veteran John Redwood and former minister Greg Clark also confirmed they were standing down.

Some 118 of parliament’s 650 MPS have said they will not seek re-election. The most high profile of them are former Conservative prime minister Theresa May and ex-chancellor Nadhim Zahawi.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-harris is also going.

More MPS are expected to confirm they are heading for the exit door before the June 7 deadline for parties to confirm their election candidates.

Mediareportshavesuggestedthatthetoriesare struggling to field prospective MPS in some areas.

Meanwhile, UK Labour leader Keir Starmer visited Scotland on the second day of general election campaigning on Friday, targeting a key batleground as his party bids to reclaim power for the first time in 14 years.

Starmer, who opinion polls predict will become prime minister ater the July 4 vote, launched Scotish Labour’s election campaign in Glasgow with a speech focused on his opposition party’s policy plans and a message of change.

Labour needs to regain some of the dozens of seats lost since 2010 in its former heartlands north of the English border to bolster its chances of forming the next UK government in Westminster.