Seven Lib Dem MPs have announced they’re retiring at this year’s general election. All seven are men: of their replacements, four are women. Here’s the list in full:
John Barrett (LD) – Edinburgh West
Majority: 13,600 (30%) – second safest Lib Dem seat in the UK.
Reason for leaving: to spend more time with his grand-daughters.
Hoping to succeed him: Mike Crockart.
Colin Breed (LD) – South East Cornwall
Majority: 6,507 (13%).
Reason for leaving: not stated.
Hoping to succeed him: Karen Gillard.
David Howarth (LD) – Cambridge
Majority: 5,058 (11%).
Reason for leaving: “to concentrate on my other life, as an academic.”
Hoping to succeed him: Julian Huppert.
Paul Keetch (LD) – Hereford and South Herefordshire
Majority: 1,297 (3%)
Reason for leaving: not stated.
Hoping to succeed him: Sarah Carr.
Mark Oaten (LD) – Winchester
Majority: 8,044 (15%)
Reason for leaving: “to take on new challenges.”
Hoping to succeed him: Martin Tod and Liz Leffman in Meon Valley.
Matthew Taylor (LD) – Truro and Falmouth
Majority: 5,131 (13%)
Reason for leaving: to spend more time with his family.
Hoping to succeed him: Terrye Teverson and Steve Gilbert in St Austell & Newquay.
Phil Willis (LD) – Harrogate and Knaresborough
Majority: 7,811 (16%)
Reason for leaving: “to bow out of front line politics at the top and when I am doing the job as I want to do it.”
Hoping to succeed him: Claire Kelley
For the full list of all MPs who are retiring at the general election, visit Politics.co.uk.
NB: majorities are the notional majorities after bouncary changes, according to UK Polling Report’s seats guide.
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5 Comments
Matthew Taylor is hoping to have two half successors with the creation of a new Parliamentary seat in Cornwall…. The other is Steve Gilbert (http://www.stevegilbert.info)
Can’t say I’m sorry to see the back of homophobic Colin Breed! A lot of the aspiring hopefuls here are fantastic campaigners and lovely people who will be a credit to the Parliamentary Party when they are elected.
I’ll miss Phil Willis. He’s ace.
You’ve forgotten that a substantial part of Mark Oaten’s Winchester seat will transfer to the new Meon Valley constituency. Hoping to succeed him there is Liz Leffman.
sat. 24 april. just had my first lib-dem leaflet of this campaign versus 5 from moneybags tories,paid by Ashcroft no doubt. but this is no compensation for a face to face doorstep visit from a candidate ( steve gilbert).i had a visit at the last elections a few months ago by a local lib-dem lady called joanna kenny and asked her if she could tell me two things that the lib-dems had done to enhance locals lives in newquay,at that she walked off down my garden path saying over her shoulder “obviousley with your hostile attitude we cannot see eye to eye “. well i can assure you i am not hostile toward your party but would also like to ask mr. gilbert the same question,and also to query the claim in this election leaflet that you have won a cut in my horrendous water bills. no contact phone number either on leaflet so have had to contact you this way,which i hate as i only type with one finger. yours sincerely COLIN FELIX a disgruntled newquay pensioner……………
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