Independent MP John Woodcock to quit at December election
Independent member of parliament John Woodcock has revealed he will step down as an MP in December’s election.
Woodcock said he plans to quit politics after his partner, Spectator assistant editor and author Isabel Hardman, became pregnant.
The MP , who was a member of the Labour party until he quit in the summer of 2018 with an outspoken attack on leader Jeremy Corbyn, said it was “some sad news prompted by some wonderful news”.
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“With great sadness, I will not be putting myself forward as a candidate in the forthcoming general election and am therefore stepping down as your MP,” he told constituents.
“I was looking forward to contesting the next election as an independent candidate committed to putting the interests of our community first, free from the abhorrent antisemitism and extremism that has corrupted my former party under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
“But life often does not work out quite as anticipated. I am suddenly changing my life plans because mt partner and I have been blessed with an unexpected but wonderful piece of news – Isabel is expecting a baby!”
The former shadow minister spectacularly quit the Labour party in July 2018, calling Corbyn “a clear risk to UK national security as Prime Minister”.
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The Barrow and Furness MP, who has been in parliament since 2010, was suspended from Labour in April last year over an investigation into claims he sent a female ex-aide inappropriate texts.
Woodcock has vociferously denied the claims and accused Corbyn of refusing to appoint an independent investigator to rule on the disciplinary process.
The Corbyn critic had said there was “clear evidence” that senior figures within Labour had manipulated his disciplinary process.
The politician has previously served as an aide to Gordon Brown in Downing Street and as a shadow minister under Corbyn’s leadership until he quit.
Woodcock said that while other MPs have stayed on after having children, his trips between his constituency in Barrow and Edinburgh – where his two daughters from a previous marriage live – made it harder to continue to serve in politics.
“I cannot in good conscience promise to combine being the dad my girls need in Edinburgh, the committed public servant you deserve in Furness, and also bring up a baby in London where Issy works as a journalist,” he said.
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“Something has to give, and I must put my family first.”
Woodcock finished his letter with praise for his constituents. “It means so much to me to be a community where people always look out for each other in this town that humbly delivers a great national endeavour with extraordinary skill and fierce pride,” he said.
Hardman retweeted Woodcock’s post, adding: “Everything John says in this letter about Barrow is true. It is such a wonderful town full of the finest people on earth. Will always stay our home because of that. Very proud of him.”
Woodcock is the latest MP to announce their resignation ahead of Boris Johnson’s 12 December general election.
Tory big-hitters like Nicky Morgan, father of the house Ken Clarke and Sir Winston Churchill’s grandson, Sir Nicholas Soames, are all stepping down.
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Ex-Tories Rory Stewart and Heidi Allen are also quitting, with the latter saying she could not put up with more abuse targeting female MPs.
Labour’s big guns including Brexiter Kate Hoey and former Corbyn leadership rival owen Smith are also set to quit politics.
The Prime Minister has called the December election in a bid to restore his parliamentary majority after Brexit became delayed until 31 January 2020.
Johnson spoke at the weekend of his “deep regret” at breaking his promise to deliver Brexit on 31 October.
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