Election 2024: Where are all the London MPs standing down ahead of July 4?
Months ahead of the general election being announced, MPs were nonetheless quitting in their droves.
With the Conservative government under Rishi Sunak staring down Labour’s 20-point poll lead, it’s perhaps unsurprisingly our politicians are preparing for life after parliament.
Labour, which has undergone turmoil of its own under former leader Jeremy Corbyn, and transformation under current leader Sir Keir Starmer has also seen high-profile figures reveal their plans to step back.
With the election now just a few short weeks away, CityA.M. has rounded up all the London MPs who are preparing to quit ahead of polling day:
Karen Buck (LAB)
Labour’s Karen Buck, 65, the MP for Westminster North, in central London, and a shadow minister under Ed Miliband, announced her plans to leave Parliament last month.
Buck has been an MP since Tony Blair’s Labour landslide of 1997, firstly in Regent’s Park and Kensington North before winning her current seat.
Lyn Brown (LAB)
Lyn Brown, 64, was Labour MP for West Ham from 2005 to 2024. She announced her departure from Parliament after the 2024 general election was called.
During her political career, Brown had roles as shadow home office minister, shadow policing minister, shadow exchequer secretary to the Treasury, and shadow minister for prisons and probation.
Jon Cruddas (LAB)
Dagenham and Rainham MP Jon Cruddas, 61, confirmed he would give up his role in August 2022.
The long-time MP was elected in Dagenham, in east London, in 2001, and then in his current seat since 2010.
John Cryer (LAB)
John Cryer, 60, has been the Labour MP for Leyton and Wanstead since 2010. Prior to this, he was Labour MP for Hornchurch dating back to 1997.
Cryer, who was chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party since 2015, announced he would step down after the 2024 general election was called.
Harriet Harman (LAB)
In December 2021, Harriet Harman, 73, the so-called mother of the House, revealed her plans to step down from her Camberwell and Peckham constituency, in south London.
First elected in 1982, she has served as Labour’s acting and deputy leader, became the first minister for women, and ran the Commons Partygate probe into Boris Johnson.
Margaret Hodge (LAB)
Dame Margaret Hodge, 79, Labour MP for Barking, in east London, since 1994, announced she would step aside, also in December 2021.
The veteran MP previously served in ministerial roles, ran the Public Accounts Committee, and was a well-known Corbyn critic, who she accused of denying Labour’s antisemitism.
Virendra Sharma (LAB)
British-Indian MP Virendra Sharma, 77, has been the Labour MP for Ealing Southall since 2007. He previously served as an Ealing councillor and mayor, and worked on race relations for the Labour Party.
Ahead of the 2024 general election, Sharma, a former bus conductor, confirmed he would not be seeking re-election.
Nickie Aiken (CON)
The Cities of London and Westminster MP confirmed this week she would step aside, after her husband, top civil servant Alex Aiken, was hired by the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Aiken, 55, was first elected to the central London seat in 2019, and before that served as leader of Westminster City Council.
Mike Freer (CON)
Conservative MP for Finchley and Golders Green since 2010, Mike Freer announced in January 2024 he would resign at the election due to the abuse he suffered while in office.
First elected in 2010, north London MP Freer, 63, was formerly Barnet council leader and the target of security fears, including a link to the killer of murdered MP Sir David Amess.
Stephen Hammond (CON)
Wimbledon MP Stephen Hammond, 62, was first elected to the west London seat in 2005.
He rebelled against Theresa May’s Brexit deal, endorsed Matt Hancock for Conservative party leader and announced he would quit at the next general election in September 2023.
Sir Bob Neill (CON)
Sir Bob (Robert) Neill, 71, has held the seat of Bromley and Chislehurst since 2006.
The barrister was formerly a parliamentary under secretary of state for communities and local government and was chairman of Parliament’s justice select committee.
Matthew Offord (CON)
Dr Matthew Offord, MP for Hendon, in north London since 2010, confirmed he would resign as an MP in May 2023.
The 54-year-old has a PhD in geography and backed Boris Johnson and Liz Truss as Conservative leadership candidates.
Bob Stewart (IND)
Independent MP for Beckenham, in south London, formerly Conservative, Bob Stewart, 74, was first elected in 2010.
The former army colonel resigned the Tory whip and announced his plans to step down in November 2023, after a conviction for racially abusing an activist saw him fined £600.
Paul Scully (CON)
In March this year, former minister for London and Tory MP Paul Scully, 56, confirmed he would stand down at the next general election.
The MP for Sutton and Cheam had unsuccessfully stood to be the Conservative candidate for mayor of London in the May 2024 race against Sadiq Khan – which Susan Hall ultimately lost.