Tory MP Chris Kelly to stand down after just one term

MP for Dudley South will stand down at the 2015 general election

Chris Kelly, Conservative MP for Dudley South, has said he will stand down at the general election (Facebook)

Chris Kelly, the Conservative MP for Dudley South, has revealed he will stand down at the 2015 general election after serving just one term.

Announcing his decision in a statement on his website, Mr Kelly did not give a reason for standing down from his seat. He instead said that he was “proud” to have served the people of Dudley South for the past five years, thanking his voters and supporters.

He said: "I would like to thank all those who have supported me since I was selected for Dudley South in September 2007. I would especially like to thank all those who voted for me at the general election in May 2010 and all of the friends and supporters who helped me for that election, as well as those who have supported my efforts since.

"I am proud to have served the good people of Dudley South for the past five years."

Mr Kelly won the seat from Labour in the 2010 general election, with a majority of 3,856.

A new prospective Parliamentary candidate will selected by the Conservative party and announced in due course, he said.

Friends and supporters of Mr Kelly took to Twitter to express their sadness at his decision to stand down.

Fellow Tory MP Conor Burns tweeted that the party was “losing all the wrong people”, and Justin Tomlinson MP, a friend of Mr Kelly, tweeted that he was “gutted” to hear the news, adding that the Dudley South MP “loves the Party, always helped others” and called him an “all round good chap”.