Conway to stand down as MP at next election
Wednesday, 30 January 2008 12:00 AM
Conservative MP Derek Conway has announced he will stand down from parliament.
The MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup will not seek re-election at the next election, he confirmed today.
Yesterday David Cameron was forced to withdraw the Conservative whip from Mr Conway after an inquiry was called for into reports he paid a second son to work in his Westminster office.
On Monday Mr Conway was strongly criticised by the Commons standards and privileges committee for overpaying his son Freddie to work in his office.
The committee of MPs said Freddie had been paid "substantially more" than his experience warranted, especially as he had been "all but invisible" in the office.
Mr Conway was ordered to repay £13,161 and faces a ten-day suspension from the House of Commons.
Yesterday it emerged Mr Conway's older son Henry had also worked for his father, prompting rival MPs to call for further inquiries.
In a statement today Mr Conway said: "I have had tremendous support from my local party, my family and friends but have concluded that it is time to step down.
"I stand by what I have said in relation to the report by the commissioner of standards and do not wish to add to those comments at this time."
Mr Conway confirmed he had told the chief whip and the chairman of his local Conservative Association that he would not seek to represent Old Bexley and Sidcup after the next election, scheduled to take place in 2009 or 2010.
He continued: "Since joining the Conservative party nearly 40 years ago I have had the privilege of serving in public office since 1974 and have done so to the best of my ability.
"Though not an original supporter of David Cameron for the leadership of my party, I believe that he has shown he has both the ability and the character to be prime minister of our country and I do not wish my personal circumstances to be a distraction in any way from the real issues that have to be addressed."
Earlier the chairman of the committee for standards in public life said banning MPs from hiring relatives "could be the right thing to do".
A number of MPs, including government ministers, hire members of their family to work in their offices.
In a statement committee chair Sir Christopher Kelly said it was "certainly an area that needs review", but added a total ban could be "a rather harsh answer to the problem".
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