Brexiteer Kate Hoey announces she will not stand for Labour at next general election
2 min read
Kate Hoey has announced she is standing down as a Labour MP at the next general election.
The leading Brexiteer announced her intention to call it quits after 30 years as the MP for Vauxhall.
The move came after Labour bosses gave their MPs two weeks to decide whether they intend to seek re-election.
In a letter to her constituents, Ms Hoey said she would not seek to be elected “as a Labour candidate” - leaving the way open for her standing for another party.
She said: “Now that the national Labour party has started the process for the 2022 election I have decided that after 30 years as the MP for Vauxhall I will not seek re-election as a Labour candidate.
“Until the next General Election I will of course continue every single day to give my all to help consittuents in Vauxhall and to campaign for policies that make life better for residents.
“I will carry on until a General Election serving with the energy, honesty and integrity that I have tried to bring to public service my whole life.”
She added: “It remains a huge privilege to service this special part of London.”
Ms Hoey’s strong anti-EU views put her at odds with the majority of her constituents, 79% of whom voted Remain in the 2016 referendum.
Despite that, she was re-elected with a majority of 20,250 at the 2017 election.
However, the veteran MP suffered a vote of no confidence by Labour members in her south London seat last year due to her strong pro-Brexit stance.
Naomi Smith, boss of the pro-EU Best for Britain group, said: "Kate Hoey has let her constituents and her local Labour Party down for years.
"Her lasting legacy will be as a Labour MP in London who tried her best to help force through Boris Johnson's damaging Brexit.
"Good riddance to her. It's time for an internationalist Labour politician to take her place and help the country stop Brexit."
Other Labour MPs that have decided not to seek re-election include Poplar and Limehouse MP Jim Fitzpatrick, and Rother Valley MP Kevin Barron.
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