Theresa May: former Prime Minister to stand down as MP for Maidenhead at next election

Former Prime Minister Theresa May is to stand down as an MP at the next general election after almost three decades in parliament.

May, 67, said that she had come to the "difficult decision" to quit as MP for Maidenhead after 27 years in the role. She confirmed the news in a statement to her constituency's local newspaper, the Maidenhead Advertiser.

In the statement, May said that her work on the backbenches, particularly on campaigns around human trafficking and modern slavery, had been "taking an increasing amount of my time". She added: “Because of this, after much careful thought and consideration, I have realised that, looking ahead, I would no longer be able to do my job as an MP in the way I believe is right and my constituents deserve. I have therefore taken the difficult decision to stand down at the next General Election.”

She also gave her backing to Rishi Sunak and pledged her support to the Tory Party in the upcoming election. The former leader added that she believed that the party could win the next election, despite recent polling that puts Labour ahead. May was elected as the representative for Maidenhead in 1997 and has held the seat ever since. She served as Home Secretary from 2010 to 2016 under David Cameron's government. A remainer over Brexit, May would succeed Cameron as Prime Minister after he resigned following the Brexit referendum, promising to bring a "strong and stable" leadership to Brexit negotiations despite her views.

She went on to resign from the role in 2019 after failing to get her Brexit deal through parliament. May was eventually succeeded by Boris Johnson in 2019.

It is the latest in a long line of Tory MPs who have announced their intention to step down as an MP at the next general election, due to take place later this year. Other high profile names planning to stepping back from parliament include former Defence secretary Ben Wallace, former Health Secretary and Home Secretary Sajid Javid and former deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab. More than 60 Tory MPs have confirmed that they will not be campaigning for re-election.