Ealing Southall and Leyton and Wanstead MPs to resign

VaselineMay 28, 2024

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Ealing Southall and Leyton and Wanstead MPs to resign

image source, House of Commons

image caption, Ealing Southall MP Virendra Sharma says it’s time for a new chapter

Author, Harry Lowe
Role, BBC news
1 hour ago

Two more of London’s Labor MPs have announced plans to stand down at the general election.

John Cryer, the MP for Leyton and Wanstead and chairman of the Parliamentary Labor Party since 2015, said he wanted to spend more time with his young children ahead of an “extremely busy and demanding” future for the next government.

Ealing Southall MP Virendra Sharma also said in his resignation letter that after 50 years of service to the party in one form or another, it was time for a new chapter.

Number of London MPs resigning at 13 ahead of July 4 election.

Mr Cryer, who was MP for Hornchurch from 1997 to 2005, is married to Ellie Reeves, Labour’s deputy national campaign co-ordinator and MP for Lewisham West and Penge.

In an announcement to his constituents, Mr Cryer said: “This has been an extremely difficult decision, perhaps the most difficult I have ever had to make.

“It has been a huge privilege to have been an MP for the past 14 years.

“As you may know, I have two small children and I feel I should try to spend more time with them.”

image source, House of Commons

image caption, John Cryer is married to Ellie Reeves, MP for Lewisham West and Penge

Mr Sharma added that Labor had “gone from our worst result in a century to the fringes of government”.

In a letter to his home party, he said: “As a British-Indian and as a Hindu, as a Labor member, councilor and MP, I have never struggled to reconcile those different but complementary identities.”

The other London MPs who are resigning, along with their constituency (and party) – in order of announcement – are: