Shropshire Star

Veteran Labour MP Sir Kevin Barron to stand down at next election

The Rother Valley MP said it had been the ‘honour of my life’ to represent his constituency for more than 36 years.

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Labour grandee Sir Kevin Barron has announced he will stand down at the next General Election.

The Rother Valley MP said it had been the “honour of my life” to represent his constituency for more than 36 years.

Sir Kevin, a former chairman of the Commons Standards Committee, has held several shadow ministerial posts during his time in Parliament.

He said: “It has been the honour of my life to represent the people of Rother Valley in Parliament for over 36 years and I sincerely thank all of my constituents for their support over the years.

“Westminster politics can at times be challenging and divisive but it remains the greatest way of giving a voice to the voiceless.”

In a letter to his constituents, he said: “As many of you will be aware, the Labour Party has asked all MPs to indicate whether they would like to stand for Labour at the next election.

“I have decided that this Parliamentary term will be my last and I will not be putting myself forward for selection.

“I am very proud of the work that I have been able to do in Rother Valley and Parliament, in particular leading the way on many of the smoking controls that we now take for granted.”

He added: “However, the work I am most proud of is the casework that never makes the headlines but makes a huge difference to people’s lives.

“I believe one of the main roles of being an MP is giving a voice to the voiceless and championing campaigns that otherwise would have no chance of success, I have always tried to do this throughout my political career.

“None of this work would not have been possible without the staff in my office and I would not have been able to do my job without their support and advice.

“I would also like to thank my family and friends who have supported me throughout my time in Parliament.

“Finally, I would like to thank all of you for your support and friendship over the years and I hope you will join me in campaigning for whoever is selected to stand for Labour in the next General Election, whenever that might be.”

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