Two members of the Tory party have resigned from their government positions, dealing a dual blow to Rishi Sunak. As a result, Sunak will need to make changes within the lower ranking positions through a mini-reshuffle.
Long-serving member of Parliament Robert Halfon surprised many by revealing his decision to resign as education minister and to not seek re-election in the upcoming general election.
The Minister for Armed Forces, James Heappey, previously announced his intention to leave and has now officially stepped down from his position at the Ministry of Defence.
The duo are among a growing number of Conservative Members of Parliament leaving the House of Commons due to the party’s declining popularity in polls. It is predicted that after the autumn election, Keir Starmer’s Labour party will take over as the governing party.
Halfon is now the 63rd Conservative Member of Parliament to announce they will not seek re-election, following the departures of Theresa May and former cabinet minister Brandon Lewis in the past few weeks.
A fifth of the members of Parliament for the Conservative party, who were elected in 2019, are resigning, including four individuals who have now become independents.
Government officials who announce their intention to step down at the time of the election are not obligated to immediately leave their positions. However, it is common for prime ministers to prefer a team that is preparing for the upcoming election rather than waiting for their term to end.
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Since first gaining a seat in parliament in 1999 as the representative for Harlow, Essex, Halfon has held various prominent positions. However, he recently resigned from his role as the minister for skills, apprenticeships, and higher education.
He sent a message to Sunak stating that he has been the Harlow candidate for over 20 years and as a Member of Parliament. It is his decision to step down before the next election and also resign as a minister in the government.
Retired serviceman Heappey, who has held multiple positions within the Ministry of Defense since 2019, recently posted a letter on Twitter explaining his choice to not run for re-election as an MP.
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On Tuesday, X posted a thread stating that being MinAF in this department has been a wonderful experience. He expresses admiration for the Armed Forces and civil servants of MoD, calling them the finest individuals. He also mentions the privilege of representing them in Parliament and globally over the past 4.5 years.
According to reports, Heappey had been closely monitored for resignation as a minister due to his expressed dissatisfaction with the amount of money allocated for defense.
Last year, there were speculations that he would replace Ben Wallace as defence secretary after Wallace’s resignation. However, Sunak chose to appoint Grant Shapps, who lacks military background, to the cabinet position.
The member of parliament for the Tory party in Wells, Somerset had a majority of approximately 10,000 votes in the 2019 election. The Liberal Democrats, who placed second in that election, are expected to focus heavily on the newly formed constituency resulting from boundary adjustments.
Source: theguardian.com
