Nadhim Zahawi's decision to step down means the list of MPs elected as Conservatives in 2019 who are not seeking re-election now stands at 71.
Announcing his decision, the former chancellor and education secretary said he pinches himself every day as he thinks: “How is it that boy from Baghdad who came to these shores, fleeing persecution and unable to speak a word of English, was able to do as much as I have?”
A total of 104 MPs are stepping down at the next general election, surpassing the average of 85 who stood down at elections between 1979 and 2019. The list of 71 Conservative MPs is based on a government tally.
The largest number recorded in recent history was in 2010, when 149 MPs stepped down, 100 of whom were Labour party members.
More than two-thirds of the MPs announcing they will not seek re-election are Conservatives – the most from the party to leave Parliament since 1997.
They include Armed Forces Minister James Heappey, former prime minister Theresa May and former Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis.
Other notable names include former deputy prime minister Dominic Raab, former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, former health secretary Matt Hancock and former defence secretary Ben Wallace.
Former ministers Harriet Harman and Margaret Hodge, as well as current deputy speaker Rosie Winterton are among the Labour MPs to announce they are stepping down.
Those from other parties include Ian Blackford, former leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster.
A UK election must be held by January 2025 but can take place earlier.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said it is his “working assumption” that the election will be held in the second half of this year.
The Conservatives are currently about 20 points behind Labour in the polls.
Conservative MPs stepping down
– Adam Afriyie, Windsor
– Nickie Aiken, Cities of London and Westminster
– Stuart Andrew, Pudsey
– Lucy Allan, Telford
– Richard Bacon, South Norfolk
– John Baron, Basildon & Billericay
– Paul Beresford, Mole Valley
– Graham Brady, Altrincham & Sale West
– Steve Brine, Winchester
– Andy Carter, Warrington South
– Bill Cash, Stone
– Chris Clarkson, Heywood & Middleton
– Tracey Crouch, Chatham & Aylesford
– Dehenna Davison, Bishop Auckland
– Jonathan Djanogly, Huntingdon
– James Duddridge, Rochford & Southend East
– Philip Dunne, Ludlow
– Natalie Elphicke, Dover (defected to Labour but announced she will not be standing as a Labour candidate)
– George Eustice, Camborne & Redruth
– Mike Freer, Finchley & Golders Green
– Nick Gibb, Bognor Regis & Littlehampton
– Jo Gideon, Stoke-on-Trent Central
– Robert Goodwill, Scarborough & Whitby
– Chris Grayling, Epsom & Ewell
– Robert Halfon, Harlow
– Stephen Hammond, Wimbledon
– Trudy Harrison, Copeland
– Oliver Heald, North East Hertfordshire
– James Heappey, Wells
– Gordon Henderson, Sittingbourne & Sheppey
– John Howell, Henley
– Alister Jack, Dumfries & Galloway
– Sajid Javid, Bromsgrove
– David Jones, Clwyd West
– Greg Knight, East Yorkshire
– Kwasi Kwarteng, Spelthorne
– Pauline Latham, Mid-Derbyshire
– Brandon Lewis, Great Yarmouth
– Tim Loughton, East Worthing and Shoreham
– Theresa May, Maidenhead
– Stephen McPartland, Stevenage
– Kieran Mullan, Crewe and Nantwich
– Bob Neill, Bromley & Chislehurst
– Matthew Offord, Hendon
– Mark Pawsey, Rugby
– Mike Penning, Hemel Hempstead
– Andrew Percy, Brigg & Goole
– Dan Poulter, Central Suffolk and North Ipswich (defected to Labour but not standing again)
– Will Quince, Colchester
– Dominic Raab, Esher & Walton
– Nicola Richards, West Bromwich East
– Douglas Ross, Moray
– Paul Scully, Sutton and Cheam
– Alok Sharma, Reading West
– Chloe Smith, Norwich North
– Henry Smith, Crawley
– Royston Smith, Southampton Itchen
– Gary Streeter, Devon South West
– Edward Timpson, Eddisbury
– Charles Walker, Broxbourne
– Robin Walker, Worcester
– Ben Wallace, Wyre & Preston North
– Jamie Wallis, Bridgend
– Craig Whittaker, Calder Valley
– Nadhim Zahawi, Stratford-on-Avon
The following MPs, formerly Conservative but now sitting as independents, are also standing down:
– Crispin Blunt, Reigate
– Matt Hancock, West Suffolk
– Julian Knight, Solihull
– Mark Menzies, Fylde
– Bob Stewart, Beckenham
– William Wragg, Hazel Grove
Other independent MPs stepping down
– Nick Brown, Newcastle Upon Tyne East
– Conor McGinn, St Helens North
Labour MPs stepping down
– Margaret Beckett, Derby South
– Paul Blomfield, Sheffield Central
– Ben Bradshaw, Exeter
– Karen Buck, Westminster North
– Jon Cruddas, Dagenham and Rainham
– Alex Cunningham, Stockton North
– Wayne David, Caerphilly
– Colleen Fletcher, Coventry North East
– Margaret Greenwood, Wirral West
– Harriet Harman, Camberwell and Peckham
– Margaret Hodge, Barking
– George Howarth, Knowsley
– Ian Mearns, Gateshead
– Christina Rees, Neath
– Barry Sheerman, Huddersfield
– Alan Whitehead, Southampton Test
– Rosie Winterton, Doncaster Central
SNP MPs stepping down
– Mhairi Black, Paisley and Renfrewshire South
– Ian Blackford, Ross, Skye and Lochaber
– Lisa Cameron, East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow (defected to the Conservatives but stepping down)
– Douglas Chapman, Dunfermline and West Fife
– Angela Crawley, Lanark and Hamilton East
– Patrick Grady, Glasgow North
– Peter Grant, Glenrothes
– Stewart Hosie, Dundee East
– John McNally, Falkirk
– Philippa Whitford, Central Ayrshire
Sinn Fein MPs stepping down
– Micky Brady, Newry and Armagh
– Francie Molloy, Mid Ulster
Green MPs stepping down
– Caroline Lucas, Brighton Pavilion
Plaid Cymru MPs stepping down
– Hywel Williams, Arfon
