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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Jeremy Browne MP to stand down at the next election | Jeremy Browne MP to stand down at the next election |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Liberal Democrat MP Jeremy Browne has announced he will stand down at the next general election. | Liberal Democrat MP Jeremy Browne has announced he will stand down at the next general election. |
| The MP for Taunton Deane, who served as a Foreign Office and Home Office minister, said he would explore "a world beyond beyond politics full of opportunities". | The MP for Taunton Deane, who served as a Foreign Office and Home Office minister, said he would explore "a world beyond beyond politics full of opportunities". |
| In a letter to his local party, posted on Twitter, he said that "in national politics, my race is run". | In a letter to his local party, posted on Twitter, he said that "in national politics, my race is run". |
| Mr Browne, who was first elected in 2005, had a 3,993 majority in 2010. | Mr Browne, who was first elected in 2005, had a 3,993 majority in 2010. |
| After the coalition government was formed, he served as a minister of state in the Foreign Office before becoming minister for crime prevention in 2012. | After the coalition government was formed, he served as a minister of state in the Foreign Office before becoming minister for crime prevention in 2012. |
| He was fired from that post in the Lib Dems' reshuffle in October last year. | He was fired from that post in the Lib Dems' reshuffle in October last year. |
| After leaving government, he was at odds with the party leadership when he called for the top rate of tax to be lowered to 40p, a policy Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander had said would happen "over my dead body". | After leaving government, he was at odds with the party leadership when he called for the top rate of tax to be lowered to 40p, a policy Lib Dem Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander had said would happen "over my dead body". |
| In his resignation letter, Mr Browne said: "For the avoidance of doubt, I will not be joining another political party and I have no intention to serve in any other capacity in politics." | In his resignation letter, Mr Browne said: "For the avoidance of doubt, I will not be joining another political party and I have no intention to serve in any other capacity in politics." |
| Analysis | |
| Ruth Bradley, BBC Somerset politics reporter | |
| In 2010 Jeremy Browne was the first person to win consecutive general elections in Taunton Deane since 1992, a constituency which had flip-flopped between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats for 18 years. | |
| He was so surprised one of his first comments to me at the declaration was along the lines of: "Well I'm the only MP with a superfluous 'e' on the end of my name and my constituency's!" | |
| In his first ministerial role he gave me a tour of the Foreign Office including his office which he told me had two ornate wooden doors, historically in case two Maharajah of equal status arrived at the same time. | |
| Previously rumoured as a challenger for Lib Dem leadership there's a particularly telling line in his resignation letter: "I have come to the conclusion that in national politics my race is run." | |
| A spokesman for Nick Clegg said the Lib Dems "wish him all the best for the future", adding: "The deputy prime minister regrets that he has taken the decision to leave politics as Jeremy has always had strongly held views which he expressed with great skill and conviction. | A spokesman for Nick Clegg said the Lib Dems "wish him all the best for the future", adding: "The deputy prime minister regrets that he has taken the decision to leave politics as Jeremy has always had strongly held views which he expressed with great skill and conviction. |
| "Jeremy has been a tireless constituency MP to the people of Taunton and served in two important ministerial roles in the early part of this government." | "Jeremy has been a tireless constituency MP to the people of Taunton and served in two important ministerial roles in the early part of this government." |
| Gill Slattery, chairman of the Taunton Deane Liberal Democrats, said: "Obviously we are sad that he's chosen to move on to a different career next year. However we are a lively and buoyant constituency party and expect to have a candidate selected by Christmas." | Gill Slattery, chairman of the Taunton Deane Liberal Democrats, said: "Obviously we are sad that he's chosen to move on to a different career next year. However we are a lively and buoyant constituency party and expect to have a candidate selected by Christmas." |