Why did MPs stand down from parliament?

Some MPs retired from politics after having had long careers in the Commons. Barry Sheerman, the oldest sitting Labour MP, retired after 45 years in parliament. Similarly, Harriet Harman, the longest serving female MP at the time of dissolution, left the Commons after four decades in office.

Many of those who stood down, however, are comparatively young. SNP MP Mhairi Black, once parliament’s youngest MP and still in her 20s, is not standing for election again. Other relatively young MPs stood down despite having become ministers, like Dehenna Davison, or select committee chairs, like Robin Walker, during the course of this parliament.

Many MPs cited personal reasons for standing down, like mental health struggles or a desire to spend more time with their families. Others have been critical of parliament itself. Black, for instance, described Westminster culture as “outdated, sexist and toxic”. ²¹ Cochrane A, ‘Mhairi Black to step down as SNP MP at next election’, BBC News, 4 July 2023, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-66101123  Stuart Anderson said threats against his family had influenced his decision not to seek re-election in Wolverhampton South West ²² Collins R and Glinka E, ‘Two Conservative Black Country MPs to step down at election’, BBC News, 28 March 2023, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-65097041 ,  although he was subsequently chosen as a candidate for South Shropshire instead. ²³ Dawkins A, ‘MP Stuart Anderson selected as candidate in different area’, BBC News, 25 July 2023, www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-66300464

Some MPs’ decisions may also have been prompted by the changes to constituency boundaries which will take place at the election, which have meant they may have faced a difficult reselection battle or needed to find a new constituency altogether. For instance, Jonathan Djanogly, MP for Huntingdon, announced he was standing down after he was unsuccessful in securing automatic re-adoption as a candidate in a new seat. ²⁴ Atkinson W, ‘Djanogly de-selected in Huntingdon. Once again, boundary changes proved the crucial factor’, Conservative Home, 4 April 2023, https://conservativehome.com/2023/04/04/djangoly-de-selected-in-huntingdon-once-again-boundary-changes-proved-the-crucial-factor/  Likewise, Labour MP Mick Whitley stood down after losing a selection contest to shadow minister Alison McGovern.

Others may have been blocked from standing again by their party executives. The independent MP Geraint Davies announced he was unable to run as a Labour candidate as a hearing had not yet been held into anonymous allegations against him. Likewise, Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle was blocked from standing following an unspecified allegation about his behaviour.

Finally, some MPs might simply have been sceptical of their chances of winning re-election. Many of the announcements from Conservative MPs came in the past year, during which time Labour has enjoyed a sustained poll lead. Departing SNP MPs may have been similarly influenced by the party’s decline in the polls throughout 2023.