St Helens MP Conor McGinn says he won't stand at the next General Election

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Not standing - Conor McGinn won't be seeking re-election Credit: PA Images

Conor McGinn, the former Labour MP for St Helens North, has announced he will not be standing at the next General Election.

Conor McGinn was suspended by Labour in December 2022 pending an internal party investigation into a complaint against him, though the nature of the complaint has not been made public.

Mr McGinn announced on Twitter that he was stepping away from Westminster for health and family reasons. He took time off work in 2022 with a genetic heart condition.

He wrote: "As is well known I have had a number of health issues over the last year including a heart condition, all of which has had a significant impact on me and my family.

"I think it is therefore the right time for me and the right thing to do for my young family to step away from Westminster and start a new chapter in our lives, and therefore I do not intend to stand at the next General Election."

He also referred to "mistakes" made, though he did not elaborate.

"Like everyone, I made mistakes and sometimes got it wrong, but I am very proud of what I have achieved and the good things I have done as an MP over my three terms," he said.

Mr McGinn was a supporter of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer Credit: PA Images

"I am going to take some time off to fully recover from my ongoing health issues, and then I will continue to work hard for our fantastic community in St Helens and Newton-le-Willows until the next election."

The representative for the Merseyside constituency had been a senior Labour MP until he was suspended from the party, forcing him to sit as an independent in the House of Commons.

He was a shadow minister without portfolio, playing a key role in preparing Labour for the next general election as deputy national campaigns co-ordinator.

Mr McGinn was a passionate supporter of the successful campaign for Helen’s law – to get the Government to introduce tougher penalties for murderers who refuse to reveal the location of their victims’ remains.

Conor McGinn supported Marie McCourt's Helen's Law campaign Credit: PA Images

He also moved the Commons amendment to extend the equal marriage law to Northern Ireland.

At the time of his suspension, Mr McGinn said he had not been told the details of the complaint but believed it was "entirely unfounded".

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