THE number of MPs announcing they will not stand again at the next General Election has almost reached the total who quit ahead of the 2019 Westminster vote, figures show.
According to data gathered by the House of Commons Library, a total of 70 MPs have so far stated they do not intend to seek re-election.
That falls just short of the 74 who stood down for 2019.
Last week, Mhairi Black became the latest prominent name from the SNP to announce they would stepping down at the next General Election, which will have to take place by January 2025.
The announcement means so far six out of the current total of 44 of the party’s MP’s – around 13% – will not be standing again for Westminster.
To date 43 of 352 Tory MPs to date have stated they do not intend to stand at the next General Election, around 12% of the party’s total.
Among them is Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, who said he wants to focus on being an MSP, and former deputy prime minister Dominic Raab, who quit the cabinet over bullying claims.
Meanwhile, six out of Labour’s 195 MPs have said they intend to quit, around 6.6%.
Four independent MPs are going, including former Tory Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
Caroline Lucas, the only Green MP, is standing down, while one of Plaid Cymru’s three MPs has said they will be quitting.
Overall an average of 87 MPs stood down at General Elections between 1979 and 2010, including those not selected by their party, the House of Commons briefing says.
Here we take a closer look at why the SNP MPs who have said they will stand down are quitting and what was predicted for their seat by a YouGov poll published in May, which did not take include expected boundary changes.
Mhairi Black
Age: 28
Entered Westminster: In 2015, when she won the seat of Paisley and Renfrewshire South with a massive 27% swing and unseated Labour’s Douglas Alexander, then shadow foreign secretary who had held the seat since 1997.
Reason for going: Announcing she would not be standing again last week she said she was tired of Westminster’s “toxic environment”. In a statement she also highlighted the impact of life as an MP, saying she wanted to now spend “more time with my loved ones in a safer environment”.
Current majority: In the 2019 General Election, she retained the seat with a majority of 10,679 or 24.8% over Labour.
Prediction for seat: Lose to Labour
Ian Blackford
Age: 62
Entered Westminster: Became MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber in 2015, with a swing of 24.9% resulting and in the unseating of Liberal Democrat incumbent Charles Kennedy who had represented the area since 1983.
Reason for going: Blackford said since resigning as SNP Westminster leader, he had gone through a “period of reflection” on how to “best assist the party and the cause of independence”. He has been appointed the SNP’s Business Ambassador and is due to launch a report on growing the Scottish economy this week.
Current majority: He won the seat in 2019 with a majority of 9443 – 23.7% - ahead of the Liberal Democrats.
Prediction for seat: SNP hold
Stewart Hosie
Age: 60
Entered Westminster: He has been the MP for Dundee East since 2005, winning the seat from Labour with a swing of just 1.1%. In the first term he was one of just seven SNP MPs in the Commons.
Reason for going: Announcing his decision to step down, Hosie said it was anticipated the next General Election would take place towards the end of 2024.
“By then I will have an active member of the SNP for more than 40 years and will have served as the Member of Parliament for Dundee East for almost 20 years,” he said.
“So after a great deal of thought, I have decided to step down at the next election.”
Current majority: The MP had a majority of 13,375 – or 29.5% – over the Conservatives in 2019.
Prediction for seat: SNP hold
Angela Crawley
Age: 36
Entered Westminster: Another of the SNP’s 2015 intake at the Commons, she gained the seat of Lanark and Hamilton East from Labour with a swing of 23.6%.
Reason for going: In an open letter to constituents she said serving her community had come at a “personal cost” and required “many difficult compromises”.
She added: “The unpredictability of Westminster can be challenging with a young family. It is now time to put my partner and our young family at the centre of my daily life. They deserve my full love, attention, and dedication.”
Current majority: Crawley held the seat in 2019 with a majority of 5187 votes or 9.8% ahead of the Conservatives.
Prediction for seat: Labour win
Peter Grant
Age: 62
Entered Westminster: Served as the SNP MP for Glenrothes since 2015, when he won the seat from Labour with a swing of 35%.
Reason for going: In a statement Grant said the next Parliament would be likely to run until he was 68 or even 69 years old.
He added: “I owe it to everyone to ask myself whether I will be able to cope with the physical and mental demands of the job when I reach that age.
“I don’t think in all honesty I can give a firm yes to that question and that means in all conscience I can’t ask volunteers to campaign for me and ask voters to vote for me when I have doubts in my own mind about my ability to serve a further full term at the level of intensity I know will be needed.”
Current majority: Grant won a majority of 11,757 or 28.3% over Labour in the 2019 election.
Prediction for seat: SNP hold
Douglas Chapman
Age: 68
Entered Westminster: He won the seat of Dunfermline and West Fife in 2015 with a swing of 27.1% resulting in an SNP gain from Labour.
Reason for going: The former SNP national treasurer announced he reached the decision after discussions with his “family and close political friends”.
“I intend to work hard for my constituents for the remainder of this parliament. I will continue to work towards our national mission to see Scotland become a confident, prosperous and happy independent nation,” he added.
Current majority: Chapman had a majority of 10,699 or 20% in the 2019 election ahead of Labour.
Seat prediction: Labour win
