Theresa May joins Tory election exodus as ex-PM says she will not fight seat

Former Prime Minister Theresa May has announced she will stand down as an MP at the next general election.

Mrs May said she had taken the “difficult decision” to quit the Commons after 27 years representing Maidenhead, as she joined an exodus of more than 60 Tories who have said they won’t contest their seats at the election.

She told her local paper the Maidenhead Advertiser that she remained committed to supporting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and said she believed the Conservatives can win the next election, despite opinion polls suggesting the party is on course for a catastrophic defeat.

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