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Conservative MP David Ruffley to step down following domestic violence revelations
Conservative MP David Ruffley to step down following domestic violence revelations
(about 2 hours later)
A Tory MP who apologised after receiving a police caution for domestic assault involving his former partner will stand down at the 2015 general election.
A Conservative MP who received a police caution for assaulting his ex-partner today announced he will step down at the next election.
David Ruffley confirmed in a letter to his local Conservative Association that he will not stand for re-election next year, saying the "protracted media debate" on his private life would not serve the interests of the party in his constituency.
David Ruffley, the former shadow police minister, blamed his decision on the “unrelenting orchestrated intrusion into my private life”.
Mr Ruffley also said he was not willing to continue to sustain the "unrelenting orchestrated intrusion into my private life".
Mr Ruffley had been summoned to a meeting of his local party in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on Thursday to discuss the incident.
The MP for Bury St Edmunds revealed last week that he had apologised to his former partner for the March incident, which led to him accepting a caution for common assault.
He was arrested at his London flat in March and accepted a police caution for the assault.
Mr Ruffley said the woman had accepted his apology and stressed that he did not condone domestic violence "under any circumstances".
The incident came to light after the Dean of Saint Edmundsbury Cathedral, a friend of the MP’s former partner, said the MP’s position in parliament was “untenable”.
On Monday, writing to Andrew Speed, the chairman of the Bury St Edmunds Conservative Association, Mr Ruffley said: "Sadly, although I have apologised for a very regrettable incident last March and both my former partner and I considered the matter closed, I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that a protracted media debate on my private life, whatever the motivation or however misinformed, would not serve the wider interests of the Conservative cause in East Anglia.
In a letter to his local party chairman, Mr Ruffley said he had apologised for the “very regrettable incident last March” and had considered the matter closed.
"Nor at a human level am I prepared to continue to sustain the unrelenting orchestrated intrusion into my personal life."
But he added: “I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that a protracted media debate on my private life, whatever the motivation or however misinformed, would not serve the wider interests of the Conservative cause in East Anglia.
The former shadow police minister went on to say he was standing down with a "heavy heart".
“Nor at a human level am I prepared to continue to sustain the unrelenting orchestrated intrusion into my personal life.”
Mr Ruffley was referred by the Conservative Party to chief whip Michael Gove for investigation last week after he revealed his apology to his former partner.
Mr Ruffley was referred by the Conservative Party to chief whip Michael Gove for investigation last week after he revealed his apology to his ex-partner.
Mr Gove said tonight he was sorry to see Mr Ruffley standing down.
Mr Gove said: “David Ruffley MP has given a huge amount to Parliament both on the Opposition front bench and as an outstanding member of the Treasury Select Committee.
The chief whip said: "David Ruffley MP has given a huge amount to Parliament both on the Opposition front bench and as an outstanding member of the Treasury Select Committee.
“I am sorry he will be standing down at the general election in May 2015, but fully respect his reasons.”
"I am sorry that he will be standing down at the general election in May 2015, but fully respect his reasons."
Mr Ruffley, who has represented the seat since 1997, was given leave from the party in 2010 after suffering minor injuries when he was hit by a train at Victoria station in London.
At the time he was reported to be suffering from depression.
He said in his letter tonight that he will never forget how his constituency stood by him.
Mr Ruffley wrote: "I will never forget the way the constituency stood by me while I recovered from a particularly difficult period of ill health four years ago.
"Equally I have been enormously grateful for the kindness and generosity of spirit shown to me in recent weeks by so many constituents and most of all for the loyal support from the tremendous members of the Bury St Edmunds Conservative Association."
Mr Ruffley had been under pressure in his constituency over the incident, with a senior Church of England cleric warning that he had "lost the confidence" of voters in the Suffolk town, while the county's police and crime commissioner described behaviour of the kind for which he apologised as "inexcusable".
