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Tracey Crouch is joining the Tory exodus from the House of Commons with the former sports minister today announcing she will stand down at the general election.

The Chatham and Aylesford MP revealed she will not compete again for her Kent constituency when voters go to the polls later this year.

Almost 60 Conservative MPs have now said they will not seek re-election, with Labour continuing to enjoy a massive lead over the Tories in opinion polls.

In a letter to her local Conservative association, Ms Crouch pointed to her public battle with breast cancer for having given her ‘an opportunity to pause and reflect’.

The 48-year-old said she now wanted to ‘seek a new professional challenge’ after nearly 14 years in Parliament.

Tracey Crouch is joining the Tory exodus from the House of Commons with the former sports minister announcing she will stand down at the general election

Tracey Crouch is joining the Tory exodus from the House of Commons with the former sports minister announcing she will stand down at the general election

In February 2021, Ms Crouch ended her last radiotherapy treatment and posted a picture of herself shaking an emoji bell on social media outside an oncology centre in Maidstone, Kent

In February 2021, Ms Crouch ended her last radiotherapy treatment and posted a picture of herself shaking an emoji bell on social media outside an oncology centre in Maidstone, Kent

First elected at the 2010 general election, Ms Crouch served as sports minister for three years under David Cameron and Theresa May, resigning in 2018 over delays to a promised reduction in the maximum stakes for fixed-odds betting machines from £100 to £2.

She became the first ever Tory minister to take maternity leave in 2016 when she gave birth to her son Freddie. 

In 2021, she chaired a review of football governance in England triggered by the backlash to the short-lived proposals to form a European Super League.

The review had been promised in the 2019 Conservative manifesto following the collapse of Bury FC.

Among the recommendations were the creation of an independent football regulator to oversee financial regulation of the men’s professional game and the imposition of a ‘stamp duty’ on transfers between Premier League clubs.

Ms Crouch revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2020 but said it had been caught early and she was undergoing treatment.

In February 2021, she ended her last radiotherapy treatment and posted a picture of herself shaking an emoji bell on social media outside an oncology centre in Maidstone, Kent.

Ms Crouch said she would ‘max out on life’ after completing her treatment.

In a letter today to the chair of the Chatham and Aylesford Conservative Association, Ms Crouch wrote: 'The reasons for not wishing to stand are entirely personal and positive'

In a letter today to the chair of the Chatham and Aylesford Conservative Association, Ms Crouch wrote: ‘The reasons for not wishing to stand are entirely personal and positive’

In a letter today to the chair of the Chatham and Aylesford Conservative Association, Ms Crouch wrote: ‘The reasons for not wishing to stand are entirely personal and positive.

‘While everyone’s cancer journey is different, for me going through a diagnosis and coming out the other side of treatment has been a life-affirming experience. It has been an opportunity to pause and reflect on my own personal priorities and based on that I truly believe it is time to seek a new professional challenge.

‘We spend far too much time in our relatively short lives putting things off but at some point you have to say to yourself if not now, when and for me I have realised that when is now.’

Ms Crouch added she would work ‘tirelessly’ for her constituents until Parliament is dissolved for the general election.

‘I turn 50 next year and a new adventure awaits,’ she continued.

‘I have no idea yet what it entails and that is both exciting and scary but what I do know is that I will forever be grateful for my time in Parliament, build upon the vast experience it has given me, and enjoy the challenge of whatever comes next.’

Who are the Tory MPs standing down at the general election?

  1. Douglas Ross, Moray
  2. Sir Charles Walker, Broxbourne
  3. Crispin Blunt, Reigate
  4. Mike Penning, Hemel Hempstead
  5. Adam Afriyie, Windsor
  6. Chloe Smith, Norwich North
  7. William Wragg, Hazel Grove
  8. Dehenna Davison, Bishop Auckland
  9. Sajid Javid, Bromsgrove
  10. Sir Gary Streeter, South West Devon
  11. Andrew Percy, Brigg and Goole
  12. Mark Pawsey, Rugby
  13. George Eustice, Camborne and Redruth
  14. Edward Timpson, Eddisbury
  15. Jo Gideon, Stoke-on-Trent Central
  16. Stephen McPartland, Stevenage
  17. Sir Paul Beresford, Mole Valley
  18. Robin Walker, Worcester
  19. Sir Graham Brady, Altrincham and Sale West
  20. Pauline Latham, Mid Derbyshire
  21. Gordon Henderson, Sittingbourne and Sheppey
  22. Craig Whittaker, Calder Valley
  23. Nicola Richards, West Bromwich East
  24. Henry Smith, Crawley
  25. John Howell, Henley
  26. Sir Robert Goodwill, Scarborough and Whitby
  27. Jonathan Djanogly, Huntingdon
  28. Dr Matthew Offord, Hendon
  29. Alister Jack, Dumfries and Galloway
  30. Richard Bacon, South Norfolk
  31. Dominic Raab, Esher and Walton
  32. Philip Dunne, Ludlow
  33. Andy Carter, Warrington South
  34. Will Quince, Colchester
  35. Royston Smith, Southampton Itchen
  36. Sir William Cash, Stone
  37. Lucy Allan, Telford
  38. Steve Brine, Winchester
  39. Sir Greg Knight, East Yorkshire
  40. Chris Clarkson, Heywood and Middleton
  41. Ben Wallace, Wyre and Preston North
  42. Trudy Harrison, Copeland
  43. Stuart Andrew, Pudsey
  44. Stephen Hammond, Wimbledon
  45. David Jones, Clwyd West
  46. Sir Alok Sharma, Reading West
  47. Chris Grayling, Epsom and Ewell
  48. John Baron, Basildon and Billericay
  49. Nick Gibb, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
  50. Dr Lisa Cameron, East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow
  51. Jamie Wallis, Bridgend
  52. Sir James Duddridge, Rochford and Southend East
  53. Oliver Heald, North East Hertfordshire
  54. Mike Freer, Finchley and Golders Green
  55. Kwasi Kwarteng, Spelthorne
  56. Nickie Aiken, Cities of London and Westminster
  57. Tracey Crouch, Chatham and Aylesford

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This post first appeared on Daily mail