Matt Hancock announces he will QUIT Parliament at the next general election as former health secretary wants to explore ‘new ways to communicate’ with the public after I’m A Celebrity stint

Matt Hancock today announced he will quit the House of Commons at the next general election in order to explore ‘new ways to communicate’ with the public.

The former health secretary wrote to the Prime Minister to reveal he will not stand as a Tory candidate when the country next goes to the polls.

Mr Hancock, who recently appeared on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity programme, also said it would now not be ‘necessary’ for him to receive the Tory whip back.

He was suspended from the Conservative parliamentary party when it was confirmed he was appearing on the reality TV show, meaning he was absent from the Commons for weeks.

‘I am writing to tell you that I do not intend to stand for the Conservatives at the next general election,’ Mr Hancock wrote to Rishi Sunak.

‘I am very grateful for my conversation with the Chief Whip last week, in which he made clear he would restore the whip in due course, but that is now not necessary.’

Mr Hancock also described how he wanted to ‘do things differently’ and to explore ‘new ways to communicate’ with the British public away from Westminster.

He added: ‘There was a time when I thought the only way to influence public debate was in Parliament, but I’ve realised there’s far more to it than that.

‘I have increasingly come to believe that for a healthy democracy we must find new ways to reach people – especially those who are disengaged with politics.

The revival of modern conservatism over the next decade will I suspect take place as much outside Parliament as in it.

‘For my part, I want to do things differently. I have discovered a whole new world of possibilities which I am excited to explore – new ways for me to communicate with people of all ages and from all backgrounds.

‘I look forward to championing the issues that are dear to my heart, including better support for dyslexic children who get a raw deal from the education system.’

Matt Hancock wrote to the Prime Minister to reveal he will not stand as a Tory candidate when the country next goes to the polls

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