Nadhim Zahawi to step down at next election
Nadhim Zahawi has announced that he will stand down as a Conservative MP at the next election.
The former chancellor said that he had “come to feel that the time is right for a new, energetic Conservative to fight for the honour of representing Stratford-on-Avon and assuming the mantle of MP for Shakespeare”.
He has become the 64th Conservative MP to declare they will not stand again at the next election, as Rishi Sunak faces a Tory exodus in the run-up to the contest.
In a letter published on X, formally Twitter, on Thursday morning, Mr Zahawi quoted the bard: “Parting is such sweet sorrow.
“I would like to thank all of my parliamentary staff and colleagues, civil service officials, special advisers, and everyone else who has ever given me advice, praise, or kept me in check with criticism.
“My mistakes have been mine and my successes have come from working with, and leading, amazing people.”
‘The greatest honour’
The ex-education secretary was sacked as Conservative Party chairman in January 2023 after an inquiry found he had failed to disclose HMRC was investigating his tax affairs.
He has represented the seat of Stratford-on-Avon since 2010 and has become the latest in a growing number of senior Conservative MPs to announce they will be stepping aside at the next election, including Sir Sajid Javid, Kwasi Kwarteng, Theresa May and Dominic Raab.
He wrote: “With the exception of convincing my wife to marry me, it has been the greatest honour of my life to represent the people of Stratford-on-Avon and serve as a Minister of the Crown.
“But after 14 years in Parliament, and multiple roles in Cabinet and Government, I have come to the decision not to stand again at the next general election.”
He added: “I will, of course, serve my constituents with dedication and determination until then, and the Prime Minister, and the Conservative Party, will continue to have my unswerving support into and beyond the next general election.”
More Conservative MPs are standing down this year than at any point since Labour’s landslide in 1997.
In one of his many roles in Government, Mr Zahawi was appointed vaccines minister during the COVID pandemic, responsible for the vaccine roll-out.
He was chancellor for two months over the summer of 2022, and education secretary for 10 months before that.
Since being sacked as party chairman last year, Mr Zahawi has joined the Adam Smith Institute, a free market think tank.
