Longstanding Tory MP to stand down at election

Tim Loughton has represented the East Worthing & Shoreham constituency since 1997

A Conservative MP has announced he will not stand at the next general election after more than 27 years in Parliament.

Tim Loughton has represented the East Worthing & Shoreham constituency since 1997 and has won seven general elections.

The veteran backbencher, who served as deputy chairman on the Home Affairs Select Committee, posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, announcing the news, saying: "it was “wiser to leave five minutes too soon than to continue for five years too long".

He is the latest Tory MP to announce that they will not be seeking re-election in the next election.

A total of 63 Conservative MPs have now said they will either stand down from the Commons or not seek re-election in their current constituencies.

In the last general election, Mr Loughton won the seat with a majority of 7,474 (14.1%).

In his social media post, he said he felt his time "on the backbenches has been far from uneventful".

He said: "I have no intention of remaining anything other than totally focused on supporting our excellent and underappreciated prime minister and the interests of my East Worthing constituents in the House of Commons in my remaining months there."

A general election is expected to be held in the autumn.

David Batchelor is the Liberal Democrat candidate who will run for the seat along with Labour's Tom Rutland.

The Conservatives have not yet announced a candidate to replace Mr Loughton.