Norwich North MP Chloe Smith to stand down at next election

The Norwich North MP, Chloe Smith, who has represented the constituency since 2009, will not contest the seat in the next general election

The Conservative MP for Norwich North, Chloe Smith, is to stand down at the next general election.

The former work and pensions secretary served in the cabinet role during Liz Truss's brief tenure in No 10 and has held the Norwich North seat since 2009.

Among her ministerial posts, Ms Smith also served in the Treasury and Northern Ireland Office.

Ms Smith was 27 years old when she was first elected and was the youngest MP in the House of Commons at the time.

She has contested and retained the marginal seat in five elections.

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Ms Smith said she was most proud of founding the Norwich for Jobs project, helping thousands of young people into work in the city.

"I have been honoured to be Norwich North's MP," she said.

"It's a fantastic job for a fantastic place, and it's a particular privilege to be able to represent Norwich and Norfolk, where I come from.

"I am grateful to the thousands of Norwich citizens who placed their trust in me so many times."

Ms Smith said she wanted to thank her "team of volunteers" who worked "so hard" alongside her

Ms Smith did not given a reason for her departure, but thanked her team for supporting her during "tough personal times".

"In 2024, after 15 years of service, it will be the right time to step back, for me and my young family," she said.

The MP was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 and announced she was clear of the disease in 2021.

Ms Smith said she hoped she had "been able to make a difference" in Norwich

Ms Smith has consistently won the seat in general elections with a majority of about 4,000 - except for in 2017, when this dropped to 507.

From 1997 until 2009 the constituency was held by Labour's Ian Gibson.

Analysis by Andrew Sinclair, Political Correspondent, BBC Look East

Conservative MPs are starting to think about the future.

The next election is probably two years off, but it could take place as soon as next year.

All of the parties are going on to an election footing and the Conservative central office wrote to all its MPs this weekend, asking them if they planned to stand again. Ms Smith has always had one of the most marginal seats in the East of England and she's always fought a strong battle to hold on.

The new boundary changes would have made things a little easier for her and she had been telling friends that she was up for the fight.

But after almost 15 years in Parliament and with the opinion polls suggesting that the next election will be a very tough fight, her party could end up in opposition and she seems to have concluded that it is time to move on.

I suspect she won't be the last. I am aware of at least four other Conservative MPs in the East who are having similar discussions.

This could be a sign that, once again, the political winds are starting to change.

In her statement she said she was proud to have worked cross-party, particularly putting the British Sign Language Act into law with Rosie Cooper MP. She said this was significant because of a deaf family member.

Ms Smith was also involved in lobbying for new carriages on the Norwich-London train line and co-chaired the Great Eastern Mainline Taskforce.

The Conservative Party said the process to select its next candidate would take place "in the coming months".