Former Conservative MP Aaron Bell not standing at General Election
Mr Bell, who has represented Newcastle-under-Lyme since December 2019, said his decision was due to ‘personal and family reasons’.
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White House Correspondent
Former Conservative MP Aaron Bell has announced “with a very heavy heart” that he will not be standing at the General Election.
Mr Bell, who has represented Newcastle-under-Lyme since December 2019, said his decision was due to “personal and family reasons”.
This comes after Mr Bell joined Rishi Sunak on the campaign trail in Stoke earlier this week, where he gave no indication of his intention to step down.
Being an MP has taken a considerable toll on me
Mr Bell is the 79th former Conservative MP to stand down, which is the highest number in modern political history, surpassing the previous post-war record of 72 Tories who stood down ahead of the 1997 election.
In an open letter posted on Facebook, he said: “It is with a very heavy heart that I have decided not to contest the forthcoming General Election, for personal and family reasons.
“Being an MP has taken a considerable toll on me.”
He added that he was proud to have served under Mr Sunak’s Government, and thanked his wife and three children for their support and “sacrifices”.
Mr Bell has acted as an assistant whip since November 2023.
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