The Member of Parliament for Kingswood in southwest England released a message on Twitter stating his desire to focus on the United Kingdom’s promise to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and combat climate change.
A Conservative member of parliament has stated that he would not run in the next general election, joining several other Tories who have previously declared their intention not to run.
Chris Skidmore, the Member of Parliament for the southwest England seat of Kingswood, stated in a statement that “there has been no greater honor in my life” than to serve the area.
“As a result of parliamentary boundary revisions, the Kingswood seat will cease to exist.
“Without an alternate seat, I have concluded that I do not intend to run in another region or country, especially with a very young family that deserves to spend more time with their father.”
Mr. Skidmore, age 41, tweeted the remark with the heading “Some views on the future…”
In his current post as cabinet member for energy and clean growth, he intends to focus his career on the United Kingdom’s pledge to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, for which he was responsible for drafting and signing the legislation.
“It is apparent to me that achieving net zero emissions and combating climate change will be the biggest challenge and opportunity of our generation,” he said.
This opportunity – to demonstrate how we must protect our environment and climate for the future, while simultaneously creating a new clean and sustainable energy system that weaned us all off fossil fuels – is what I intend to focus on now.
Instead of stepping aside, I hope that in the future I will be able to stand up and continue to play my modest role in delivering the energy transition that the world requires.
Mr. Skidmore congratulated his constituents for having “confidence and trust” in him as their local representative.
From 10 September 2019 to 13 February 2020, he served concurrently in the Department of Education and the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy.
He was formerly employed with the Department of Health and Social Care and the Cabinet Office.
Ninth Conservative MP to announce the departure
Mr. Skidmore is the ninth Conservative MP to announce their intention to resign in response to rising concerns over the party’s performance in the polls.
His statement follows the 29-year-old minister and rising star Dehenna Davison’s declaration that she would not run again in the previous Labour bastion of Bishop Auckland.
Sir Gary Streeter, 67, also declared his intention to retire at the next election, leaving the South West Devon seat he has held handily since its inception in 1997.
William Wragg, 34, and Chloe Smith, 40, are also rumored to be joining the seeming exodus; the very youthful ages of several of those likely to resign cause anxiety within the party.
A study done by Ipsos earlier this week found that the Conservatives’ popularity has fallen to 26%, their lowest rating in 15 years.
The party has failed to regain public confidence after Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget unleashed “catastrophic” economic effects and caused the pound to plummet.
Thursday, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt expressed remorse for the turmoil of recent months, which Labour’s shadow chancellor, Rachel Reeves, termed “12 weeks of Conservative instability.
However, his refusal to accept the mini-budget caused £30 billion in harm.
Mr. Hunt stated, “I don’t believe there was a long-term effect because the measures were restored so fast.
Six times, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak refused to apologize for the financial distress his predecessor caused millions of people across the nation.
