Welsh Tory MP Jonathan Evans to retire at next election

Welsh Conservative MP Jonathan Evans will stand down at the next election.

Mr Evans won the marginal seat of Cardiff North from Labour in 2010. He had previously been MP for the (once even more) marginal seat of Brecon and Radnorshire. He was a minister in John Major's government - at the DTI, Lord Chancellor's office and the old Welsh office - in the 1990s.

He told his local party: "It is now 40 years since I was first selected at the age of 22 as a Conservative parliamentary candidate against the late Michael Foot. Twenty one years ago I was first elected to the House of Commons and I have altogether fought nine parliamentary election campaigns at Westminster and European elections since 1974. By the time of the next election in 2015 I will have served for two decades in the House of Commons and in the European Parliament in Brussels.

"I have been honoured by the support I have received from voters in Cardiff North, Brecon & Radnor and throughout Wales during the course of my political career. This outstanding support has given me the opportunity to serve in Parliament, in government, as Leader of the Conservatives in Europe, and as Head of the European Parliament's relations with the United States Congress.

"It is a difficult decision to stand down from public life, but with the introduction of fixed term parliaments, we now know that the next Parliamentary term is likely to run until 2020, and that is a commitment which is I believe is too lengthy for me to make."