Epping Forest MP Eleanor Laing to stand down after General Election

In a letter to Epping Forest Conservative Association, Mrs Laing – who has been Epping MP since 1997 – said she was relinquishing the role to give other candidates opportunities to represent the constituency.

Epping Forest has been a Conservative seat ever since its formation in 1974 when the seat was won by John Biggs-Davison, who beat the then Labour candidate by around 8,000 votes.

Mrs Laing’s majority currently sits at more than 22,000 following the Tories’ landslide victory at the 2019 General Election.

Announcement – Eleanor Laing had intended to tell constituents this weekend about her decision (Image: PA)

As part of her statement, Mrs Laing said she originally intended to tell the Epping Forest Conservative Association of her decision this weekend, but was bounced into sharing the news after Rishi Sunak announced there will be a General Election held in July.

Mrs Laing wrote: “I have had the great honour and pleasure of representing the people of Epping Forest as their Member of Parliament for the last 27 years.

“I have also had the privilege of serving as Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons for over ten years, the last four of which have been as Chairman of Ways and Means.

“It is very difficult to give up the job you love.

“I have come to the conclusion, however, that it is now time for me to move aside and give others the opportunities that I have been so fortunate to have.”

Mrs Laing was appointed the shadow justice minister under David Cameron in 2007, but two years later she faced a confidence vote by members of the Epping Forest Conservative Association after she claimed more than £80,000 in expenses for flats next to Westminster.

After winning more than 83 per cent of the votes cast, Mrs Laing was re-selected as MP and repaid £25,000 as “a moral gesture”.

Confident – Eleanor Laing said she believes the Conservatives will hold onto the Epping Forest seat in July's General Election (Image: PA)

Her statement concluded: “Epping Forest is a marvellous constituency.

“Its towns and villages are full of character and the ancient forest itself gives character to the whole area.

“As the local election results recently showed, I have every confidence we will win this great seat on 4th July.

“I also have every confidence that our party will flourish. The British people need our principles and values - responsibility, compassion and freedom.”

A full list of candidates for Epping Forest will be released on Friday, June 7, though Labour have already confirmed Rosalind Doré will stand against Reform UK’s Peter Bell.