- Halfon resigns as deputy education minister; Heappey also steps down
- Conservative MPs resign amid potential electoral defeat
- Trend of resignations common as election approaches
Robert Halfon has resigned as deputy education minister in the government.
The Member of Parliament for Harlow declared his resignation in a letter to Rishi Sunak published on the social media platform X. Additionally, he intends to resign before the general election.
He is accompanied by the resigning minister of the armed forces, James Heappey.
This past month, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Wells, Somerset, declared his intention to resign from office.
Both Members of Parliament have submitted resignation letters so devoted to Mr Sunak that they appear to have been composed by Number 10.
Each individual will have unique justifications for their choice.
It surely does not deal the prime minister a bombshell. There have been no political hand explosives hurled out the door.
However, this resignation trend is common. The majority (98 out of 112) of the MPs declared their ineligibility for the upcoming election are Conservatives.
Theresa May and Dominic Raab are two such veterans. Others like Nicola Richards and Dehenna Davison are relatively new to the House of Commons.
Each of them harbours a different aspiration for their lives.
However, each Conservative is also privy to the opinion surveys that indicate a potential impending loss of the Tory party to the opposition.
Before the 2010 election, 150 Members of Parliament declared their intention to resign, most of whom belonged to the Labour Party.
Having been in power for thirteen years, Labour Members of Parliament knew their tenure was numbered.
As polling day approaches, what is beginning to resemble a voluntary exodus of Conservative MPs from the House of Commons may only gain momentum.
In his resignation letter as minister of skills, apprenticeships, and higher education, Mr Halfon expressed his belief that Mr Sunak enjoyed “quiet admiration” throughout the nation.
Additionally, in his resignation thread, he referenced a passage from Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, one of his all-time favourite novels, stating that the words “exactly capture my emotions as I embark on my next journey in life.”
“I am currently in your presence…however, I will not be short. I have no intention of visiting the Shire…My period has come to an end; it is no longer my responsibility to rectify situations or assist others in doing so. Regarding you, my beloved friends, you will not require assistance…”You are all among the great, and I have no longer any fear for any of you,” the Member of Parliament wrote, citing the fictitious wizard Gandalf.
Before his 2010 election, he served as the Conservative Party’s deputy chairman during the prime ministership of David Cameron and as the former chairman of the education select committee. In his reply to his resignation letter, Mr Sunak lauded his efforts to advance apprenticeships.
Additionally, he guaranteed Mr Sunak his “complete dedication” until the conclusion of this legislative term. The prime minister announced that the “second half of the year” is anticipated to witness general elections.
Mr Heappey stated in a thread on X that he had “cherished each moment” spent in “this phenomenal department.”
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However, the former soldier harboured internal discontent regarding the extent of military expenditures and urged in a farewell address this week that the 2.5% of GDP target for defence spending be “immediately” attained.
Additionally, he is thought to be recovering from the reshuffle that occurred last year, in which he was not selected for the position of defence secretary instead of Grant Shapps, an individual lacking a military background.
Mr Heappey and Mr Halfon augment the 63-member exodus of Conservative MPs from the House of Commons, occurring as the party languishes in the polls in anticipation of the national election later this year.
The number of members of parliament resigning is comparable to the 90 members who resigned in 2015, with 149 members having done so before the 2010 election that resulted from the Labour Party’s 13-year expulsion from power due to the expenditures scandal.
