Jungle MP Matt Hancock has announced he will not stand for the Conservatives at the next general election.
The ex-Health Secretary was stripped of the Tory whip last month after he abandoned his constituents to join ITV's I'm a Celebrity.
During his five-week absence from Parliament, Mr Hancock's team had insisted he had no intention of quitting politics.
But in a letter to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today, Mr Hancock said: "I am writing to tell you that I do not intend to stand for the Conservatives at the next general election."
The former Cabinet minister claimed he had been told by party officials on Friday - when he finally returned to Parliament - he would have the whip restored in "due course".
In his letter, Mr Hancock, who first joined Parliament in 2010, added: "But that is now not necessary."
But within minutes it emerged officers at his local Tory association had said they had "no confidence" in him as a sitting MP.
Terry Wood, president of West Suffolk Conservatives, said a vote of the officers' group happened on November 30, Mr Hancock was "not fit to represent this constituency", and the association had requested "that the Whip is not restored to him."
A source close to Mr Hancock said the letter was not on behalf of the entire association, the majority of which would have supported him if it had come to a full vote.
Mr Hancock told the PM the Conservative Party "must now reconnect with the public we serve".
He added: "There was a time when I thought the only way to influence the public debate was in Parliament, but I've realised there's far more to it than that. I have increasingly come to believe that for a healthy democracy we must find new ways to reach people - especially those who are disengaged with politics."
"The revival of modern conservatism over the next decade will I suspect take place as much outside Parliament as in it."
"It has been an honour to serve in Parliament and represent the people of West Suffolk."
"I will play my part in the debate about the future of our country and engage with the public in new ways."
In recent days the brazen MP has been promoting his new book Pandemic Diaries - giving his account of what happened at the top of Government during the Covid crisis.
But extracts from the diaries have already prompted a fierce backlash after he blamed care home staff for the spread of the virus.
He said the "vast majority of infections were brought in from the wider community, mainly by staff" and also suggested that the then chief executive of NHS England Simon Stevens had pushed for elderly hospital patients who did not need urgent treatment to be discharged.
At the weekend the National Care Association chairwoman Nadra Ahmed fumed: “Matt Hancock ’s memory of events bears no resemblance to the facts."
She said the comments were "insulting" to care home staff.
Mr Hancock's decision to join I'm a Celeb last month prompted speculation about his political future, with several senior Tory MPs already announcing their decision to quit Westminster.
The ex-Health Secretary was forced to resign from the Cabinet in June 2021 after breaching Covid guidance.
Leaked footage from his office at the Department for Health at the time showed him kissing aide Gina Coladangelo - now his partner.
Last week the ex-Chancellor Sajid Javid also announced he would stand down as the next election among a raft of other MPs.
The gloomy Tories are considering their futures in the Commons as Labour continues to enjoy double-digit lead in the national polls and Mr Sunak's first electoral test resulted in the party's worst defeat at a by-election in Chester since 1832.
Matt Hancock's letter in full
In a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Matt Hancock wrote: "I am writing to tell you that I do not intend to stand for the Conservatives at the next General Election. I am very grateful for my conversation with the Chief Whip last week, in which he made clear he would restore the whip in due course, but that is now not necessary.
"It has been a huge honour to serve as Member of Parliament for West Suffolk over the past twelve years. I am very proud of what we achieved, including the establishment of three Free Schools, dualling of the A11, supporting the horseracing industry, and expanding Newmarket Hospital. I will of course continue to represent all my constituents between now and the next election.
"I am incredibly proud of what we achieved in my nine years in Government: the massive expansion of Apprenticeships, the introduction of Traineeships, support for small and growing businesses, the digitisation of public services and starting to establish rules for the digital economy, restoring the nation's finances, support for the NHS with record numbers of doctors and nurses, and of course the response to the pandemic: the first vaccine in the world, and a shorter lockdown, fewer jobs lost, and lower mortality than comparable countries.
"I am incredibly grateful for the loyal members of my team in Suffolk, in Parliament, in Government, and in the NHS who helped make all this possible. I am proud to have supported you to become Prime Minister and wish you the best in facing the challenges ahead.
"The Conservative Party must now reconnect with the public we serve. There was a time when I thought the only way to influence the public debate was in Parliament, but I've realised there's far more to it than that. I have increasingly come to believe that for a healthy democracy we must find new ways to reach people - especially those who are disengaged with politics. The revival of modern conservatism over the next decade will I suspect take place as much outside Parliament as in it.
"For my part, I want to do things differently. I have discovered a whole new world of possibilities which I am excited to explore - new ways for me to communicate with people of all ages and from all backgrounds. I look forward to championing the issues that are dear to my heart, including better support for dyslexic children who get a raw deal from the education system.
"It has been an honour to serve in Parliament and represent the people of West Suffolk. I will play my part in the debate about the future of our country and engage with the public in new ways."
Your ever
Matt
