James Purnell steps down
Friday, 19 February 2010 5:14 PM
By Ian Dunt
James Purnell will stand down from parliament at the next election, in a surprising move confirmed by his constituency office this morning.
The departure of such a young and influential MP will cause consternation among Labour ranks, leaving the impression the party's brightest young minds are now also fleeing before a period in opposition.
"I have today told the executive committee of my local party that I do not wish to be the candidate for Stalybridge and Hyde at the next general election," he said in a statement today.
"I have been proud to represent the people of Stalybridge and Hyde. And this has been an extremely difficult decision to make. But I have decided that I no longer wish to be an MP.
"I have spent all my working life in or about Westminster. And while this has been a huge privilege, I've realised I don't want to have spent all my life in frontline politics."
The decision comes just days after Mr Purnell confirmed in an interview with Labour List that he would not be returning to front-line politics.
Mr Purnell quit his Cabinet position last year, citing concerns with Gordon Brown's leadership.
At the time, other Cabinet members were expected to join him, triggering a leadership battle, but they were not forthcoming.
"I am calling on you to stand aside to give our party a fighting chance of winning," he wrote to the prime minister at the time.
He has recently enjoyed a high-profile stint at thinktank Demos, a role he which won him many plaudits from political commentators and one which he intends to continue.
Councillor Peter Robinson, chairman of the Stalybridge and Hyde constituency Labour party, said: "We understand completely the reasons for James' resignation and we wish him every success in the future."
Mr Purnell is one of the last former-Cabinet Blairites left in the party, with Stephen Byers, Alan Milburn, Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt already announcing they will step down.
Newsletter sign up