General Election 2024: The Anglia MPs who are standing down

Collage of MPs standing down at the next general election - Hancock (Top L) Lewis (Top R) Halfon (Bottom L) Smith (Bottom R)
More than 100 current MPs are standing down at the next election Credit: PA

The date of the next general election has now been set by the Prime Minister with the public going to the polls on 4 July.

But more than 100 MPs currently serving in the House of Commons will be walking away from their jobs.

Here are some of the names who have announced they will be standing down:

Dame Andrea Leadsom - South Northamptonshire, Con

Dame Andrea Leadsom held several senior ministerial roles during her 14 years as MP. Credit: PA

Dame Andrea Leadsom has been the MP for South Northamptonshire for 14 years and has held several senior ministerial positions in that time.

She is currently minister for public health, start for life and primary care. Previously, she has been environment secretary, leader of the House of Commons and business secretary.

In 2016, she came close to becoming prime minister but withdrew from the leadership contest that Theresa May won.

Matt Hancock - West Suffolk, Ind

Matt Hancock also appeared on SAS: Who Dares Wins as well as I'm A Celebrity Credit: PA

The former Health Secretary announced he would be standing down back in December 2022, saying he wanted to "engage the public in new ways".

Hancock caused controversy when he decided to take part in I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!, coming in third place. That decision led him to lose the Tory whip in the Commons.

In 2021, he resigned as Health Secretary after he was found to have breached Covid guidelines, when a video caught him kissing his aide, Gina Coladangelo.

The 44-year old has been the MP for West Suffolk since 2010 and served as a minister under three Conservative Prime Minister's.

Sir Brandon Lewis - Great Yarmouth, Con

Sir Brandon Lewis has served as a minister under 4 Prime Minister's. Credit: PA

Sir Brandon was first elected as the MP for Great Yarmouth in 2010.

It emerged last year he was earning more than £200,000 for his seven different jobs, with a sanctioned Russian oligarch owning one of the companies he worked for.

He was made Chairman of the Conservative Party by Theresa May in 2018 and later served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland between 2020 and 2022.

Dr Dan Poulter - Central Suffolk & North Ipswich, Lab

Dr Dan Poulter became the first Conservative MP to defect to Labour since Christian Wakeford in 2022. Credit: PA

Dr Dan Poulter hit the headlines in April when he decided to defect from the Conservatives to Labour.

A former junior health minister and part-time NHS doctor, Dr Poulter said the government's handling of the NHS meant he could "no longer look his NHS colleagues in the eye".

He became the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich in 2010 and said he would endorse his new party at the upcoming election.

Robert Halfon - Harlow, Con

Robert Halfon quoted Lord of the Rings in his resignation letter to the Prime Minister Credit: PA

Another MP from the 2010 intake, Robert Halfon most recently served as a minister in Rishi Sunak's government with the portfolio of Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education - a brief he held before under Theresa May.

In his resignation letter in March, Halfon quoted Lord of the Rings, writing "I often feel more like the character Bilbo Baggins than Gandalf".

Away from government, Halfon was the Chair of the Education select committee for five years, from 2017 to 2022.

Jonathan Djanogly - Huntingdon, Con

The successor to former Prime Minister Sir John Major in Huntingdon, Jonathan Djanogly became the MP in 2001.

In his 23 year parliamentary career, he's served under eight leaders of the Conservative Party.

Djanogly was a junior minister in the coalition government, having previously been the Shadow Solicitor General between 2004 to 2010.

Boundary changes meant his constituency will no longer exist at the next election and he was unable to secure the candidacy in the new seat.

Chloe Smith - Norwich North, Con

Chloe Smith last served in government as maternity cover for the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology Credit: PA

Chloe Smith was just 27-years old when she was elected as the MP for Norwich North in the 2009 by-election - succeeding then Labour MP Ian Gibson.

Since then, her most prominent role was when she briefly served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions under Liz Truss.

Smith announced she would be standing down at the next election in November 2022.

Her seat is a key Labour target at the next election, with the party needing a 5% swing to claim victory.

Below is the full list of current MPs in the Anglia region who will be stepping down:

  • Richard Bacon - South Norfolk - elected 2001.

  • John Baron - Basildon & Billericay - elected 2001.

  • Jo Churchill - Bury St Edmunds - elected 2015.

  • Jonathan Djanogly - Huntingdon - elected 2001.

  • Sir James Duddridge - Southend East & Rochford - elected 2005.

  • Robert Halfon - Harlow - elected - elected 2010.

  • Matt Hancock - West Suffolk - elected 2010.

  • Sir Oliver Heald - North East Hertfordshire - elected 1992.

  • Chris Heaton Harris - Daventry - elected 2010

  • Sir Brandon Lewis - Great Yarmouth - elected 2010.

  • Stephen McPartland - Stevenage - elected 2010.

  • Sir Mike Penning - Hemel Hempstead - elected 2005.

  • Dr Dan Poulter - Central Suffolk & North Ipswich - elected 2010.

  • Will Quince - Colchester - elected 2015.

  • Chloe Smith - Norwich North - elected 2009.

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