List of MPs who stood down at the 2015 United Kingdom general election

89 members of Parliament (MPs) chose to not seek reelection at the 2015 general election, meaning they were MPs in the 55th Parliament, but chose not to contest the 2015 general election (in some cases after being deselected by their parties). While at the previous election there had been a record 149 MPs not standing for reelection,[1] the 89 standing down in 2015 represented a more usual number.[2] These 89 consist of 37 Labour, 37 Conservative, 10 Liberal Democrat, 3 Independent, 1 Sinn Féin and 1 Plaid Cymru MP. There were no vacant seats at dissolution.

The highest profile members of Parliament leaving were Gordon Brown, the former prime minister and leader of the Labour Party (both 2007 to 2010) and chancellor of the Exchequer (1997 to 2007); and William Hague, the outgoing First Secretary of State and leader of the House of Commons and former Foreign Secretary (2010 to 2014), leader of the Conservative Party and leader of the Opposition (both 1997 to 2001).[3]

Alongside Brown and Hague, seventeen former cabinet ministers stood down at the election, including Stephen Dorrell, Jack Straw, Alistair Darling, David Blunkett, Sir Peter Tapsell (the Father of the House having served continuously since the 1966 general election, in addition to his previous service), Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Dame Tessa Jowell, all of whom had served at least 23 years in the House of Commons.[3] The highest profile Liberal Democrat to stand down was former leader Sir Menzies Campbell.[3]

List of MPs

In total, 89 members of parliament decided not to stand for re-election.

MP Seat First elected Party Date announced
Bob Ainsworth Coventry North East 1992 Labour 7 December 2012[4]
James Arbuthnot North East Hampshire 1987 (Wanstead and Woodford) Conservative 6 June 2011[5]
Tony Baldry Banbury 1983 Conservative 1 September 2014[6]
Gregory Barker Bexhill and Battle 2001 Conservative 14 July 2014[7]
Hugh Bayley York Central 1992 Labour 5 December 2014[8]
Alan Beith Berwick-upon-Tweed 1973 by-election Liberal Democrats 7 August 2013[9]
Joe Benton Bootle 1990 by-election Labour 12 June 2014[10]
Brian Binley Northampton South 2005 Conservative 22 July 2013[11]
Hazel Blears Salford and Eccles 1997 (Salford) Labour 20 February 2014[12]
David Blunkett Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough 1987 (Sheffield Brightside) Labour 21 June 2014[13]
Annette Brooke Mid Dorset and North Poole 2001 Liberal Democrats 5 March 2013[14]
Gordon Brown Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath 1983 (Dunfermline East) Labour 1 December 2014[15]
Jeremy Browne Taunton Deane 2005 (Taunton) Liberal Democrats 15 October 2014[16]
Malcolm Bruce Gordon 1983 Liberal Democrats 9 October 2013[17]
Aidan Burley Cannock Chase 2010 Conservative 5 February 2014[18]
Dan Byles North Warwickshire 2010 Conservative 20 July 2014[19]
Menzies Campbell North East Fife 1987 Liberal Democrats 9 October 2013[20]
Martin Caton Gower 1997 Labour 11 March 2012[21]
James Clappison Hertsmere 1992 Conservative 3 July 2014[22]
Tony Cunningham Workington 2001 Labour 28 June 2014[23]
Alistair Darling Edinburgh South West 1987 (Edinburgh Central) Labour 2 November 2014[24]
John Denham Southampton Itchen 1992 Labour 7 October 2011[25]
Frank Dobson Holborn and St Pancras 1979 (Holborn and St Pancras South) Labour 18 July 2014[26]
Frank Doran Aberdeen North 1987 (Aberdeen South) Labour 19 October 2013[27]
Stephen Dorrell Charnwood 1979 (Loughborough) Conservative 25 November 2014[28]
Jonathan Evans Cardiff North 1992 (Brecon and Radnorshire) Conservative 17 January 2013[29]
Don Foster Bath 1992 Liberal Democrats 8 January 2014[30]
Hywel Francis Aberavon 2001 Labour 22 November 2013[31]
Lorraine Fullbrook South Ribble 2010 Conservative 14 September 2013[32]
William Hague Richmond (Yorks) 1989 by-election Conservative 14 July 2014[33]
Peter Hain Neath 1991 by-election Labour 6 June 2014[34]
David Hamilton Midlothian 2001 Labour 24 January 2015[35]
Dai Havard Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 2001 Labour 24 September 2014[36]
David Heath Somerton and Frome 1997 Liberal Democrats 11 October 2013[37]
Charles Hendry Wealden 1992 (High Peak) Conservative 1 March 2013[38]
David Heyes Ashton-under-Lyne 2001 Labour 1 March 2014[39]
Mark Hoban Fareham 2001 Conservative 23 January 2015[40]
Glenda Jackson Hampstead and Kilburn 1992 (Hampstead and Highgate) Labour 23 June 2011[41]
Siân James Swansea East 2005 Labour 25 February 2014[42]
Eric Joyce Falkirk 2000 by-election (as Labour) Independent 2 March 2012[43]
Chris Kelly Dudley South 2010 Conservative 31 August 2014[44]
Andrew Lansley South Cambridgeshire 1997 Conservative 15 July 2014[45]
Jessica Lee Erewash 2010 Conservative 20 January 2014[46]
Elfyn Llwyd Dwyfor Meirionnydd 1992 (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy) Plaid Cymru 19 October 2013[47]
Andy Love Edmonton 1997 Labour 12 January 2015[48]
Peter Luff Mid Worcestershire 1992 (Worcester) Conservative 5 September 2012[49]
Francis Maude Horsham 1983 (North Warwickshire) Conservative 1 February 2015[50]
Jim McGovern Dundee West 2005 Labour 3 April 2015[51]
Anne McGuire Stirling 1997 Labour 14 January 2014[52]
Anne McIntosh Thirsk and Malton 1997 (Vale of York) Conservative 31 January 2014[53][a]
Andrew Miller Ellesmere Port and Neston 1992 Labour 10 December 2013[54]
Austin Mitchell Great Grimsby 1977 by-election Labour 16 April 2014[55]
George Mudie Leeds East 1992 Labour 4 October 2013[56]
Meg Munn Sheffield Heeley 2001 Labour 25 January 2014[57]
Conor Murphy Newry and Armagh 2005 Sinn Féin 21 October 2014[58]
Paul Murphy Torfaen 1987 Labour 30 January 2015[59]
Brooks Newmark Braintree 2005 Conservative 11 October 2014[60]
Stephen O'Brien Eddisbury 1999 by-election Conservative 9 March 2015[61]
Richard Ottaway Croydon South 1983 (Nottingham North) Conservative 27 October 2012[62]
Jim Paice South East Cambridgeshire 1987 Conservative 8 March 2013[63]
Dawn Primarolo Bristol South 1987 Labour 11 November 2011[64]
John Randall Uxbridge and South Ruislip 1997 (Uxbridge) Conservative 10 July 2014[65]
Nick Raynsford Greenwich and Woolwich 1986 by-election (Fulham) Labour 22 March 2013[66]
Malcolm Rifkind Kensington 1974 (Edinburgh Pentlands, elected

as Conservative)[b]

Independent 24 February 2015[67]
Linda Riordan Halifax 2005 Labour 12 February 2015[68]
Andrew Robathan South Leicestershire 1992 (Blaby) Conservative 22 September 2014[69]
Hugh Robertson Faversham and Mid Kent 2001 Conservative 14 January 2015[70]
Lindsay Roy Glenrothes 2008 by-election Labour 6 November 2013[71]
Joan Ruddock Lewisham Deptford 1987 Labour 12 January 2013[72]
David Ruffley Bury St Edmunds 1997 Conservative 28 July 2014[73]
Laura Sandys South Thanet 2010 Conservative 25 November 2013[74]
Richard Shepherd Aldridge-Brownhills 1979 Conservative 24 October 2014[75]
Mark Simmonds Boston and Skegness 2001 Conservative 11 August 2014[76]
John Stanley Tonbridge and Malling 1974[b] Conservative 23 March 2012[77]
Jack Straw Blackburn 1979 (as Labour) Independent 25 October 2013[78]
Andrew Stunell Hazel Grove 1997 Liberal Democrats 29 September 2013[79]
Gerry Sutcliffe Bradford South 1994 by-election Labour 28 May 2014[80]
Ian Swales Redcar 2010 Liberal Democrats 11 July 2014[81]
Peter Tapsell Louth and Horncastle 1959 (Nottingham West) Conservative 21 March 2014[82]
Joan Walley Stoke-on-Trent North 1987 Labour 15 November 2013[83]
Robert Walter North Dorset 1997 Conservative 5 December 2014[84]
David Watts St Helens North 1997 Labour 3 January 2015[85]
Mike Weatherley Hove 2010 Conservative 3 July 2014[86]
David Willetts Havant 1992 Conservative 14 July 2014[87]
Mike Wood Batley and Spen 1997 Labour 28 February 2014[88]
Shaun Woodward St Helens South and Whiston 1997 (Witney) Labour 7 November 2013[89]
Sarah Teather Brent Central 2003 by-election (Brent East) Liberal Democrats 7 September 2013[90]
Tim Yeo South Suffolk 1983 Conservative 3 February 2014[91][a]
George Young North West Hampshire 1974 (Acton)[b] Conservative 29 November 2013[92]

Notes

  1. ^ a b deselected by local Conservative association.
  2. ^ a b c Originally elected at the February 1974 election.

References

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