Matt Hancock confirms he will not stand for Conservatives at the next general election

Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said he will not stand for the Conservatives in the next general election, saying he wanted to "engage with the public in new ways" outside Parliament.

The 44-year-old has been the MP for West Suffolk since 2010.

However, he lost the Tory whip over his decision to participate in the reality TV series I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, in which he came third, and has since been sitting in the Commons as an Independent.

In a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Mr Hancock said he did not intend to stand again, despite the chief whip suggesting that the whip would be restored.

He said: “It has been an honour to serve in Parliament and represent the people of West Suffolk. I will play my part in the debate about the future of our country and engage with the public in new ways.”

The news was announced on his Twitter, Instagram and TikTok accounts.

He added: "There was a time when I thought the only way to influence the public debate was in Parliament, but I’ve realised there’s far more to it than that.

“For my part, I want to do things differently. I have discovered a whole new world of possibilities which I am excited to explore – new ways for me to communicate with people of all ages and from all backgrounds.

“It has been an honour to serve in parliament and represent the people of West Suffolk. I will play my part in the debate about the future of our country and engage with the public in new ways.”

Liberal Democrats deputy leader Daisy Cooper said he should step down now and trigger a by-election.

She said: "He's clearly not interested in the job anymore and would rather make money on reality TV shows than represent the people of West Suffolk. His constituents deserve better than a part-time MP chasing fame and fortune."

West Suffolk Tory councillor Ian Houlder - who previously said Mr Hancock had "no shame" - said the MP had been left with few options.

“I think he was up the creek without a paddle as far as not being the MP for West Suffolk was concerned,” said Mr Houlder.

“He was looking at his options quite rightly as anybody would and he’s gone for the money.

“He’s going to linger on until the next general election whenever that’s called, probably a couple of years if Rishi lasts that long, and that’s it.”

Mr Hancock's decision to go into the Australian jungle drew criticism from across the political spectrum, and led to speculation that he saw his future beyond politics.

Mr Sunak criticised the MP for taking part while parliament was sitting, and he was branded "disgraceful" by his own constituents, while local councillors demanded his resignation.

The comedian Adam Hills held a pop-up surgery in Mildenhall for Mr Hancock's constituents to raise their concerns.

Mr claimed he had been taking part as a way to engage people about political issues outside of traditional circles, and said he would be making a donation from his appearance fee to local charities.

The announcement comes shortly after the deadline for Tory MPs to declare their intention to stand at the next election, leading several - including Mr Hancock's East Anglian colleague Chloe Smith and former Chancellor Sajid Javid - to announce they would not stand again.

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