Matt Hancock, who had lost the Tory whip and faced widespread anger in his local party after appearing on ITV's I m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, has announced that he will not stand again as a Conservative MP, tweeting the letter to Rishi Sunak.
Hancock said last week he had spoken to the chief whip Simon Hart, and he had made clear that he would restore the whip in due course, but that is now not necessary. The Conservatives must reconnect with the public we serve, he wrote, saying that this must mean finding new ways to do so.
The decision marks a change of heart for Hancock. A spokesman for the MP told Sky News last week: Matt has no intention of standing down or stepping away from politics. Hancock's letter appeared to set out something of a political epiphany he had had undergone while in the Australian jungle for the ITV show, in which he defied expectations that viewers would vote him out and finish third.
The Conservative party must reconnect with the public we serve, he wrote. There was a time when I thought the only way to influence public debate was in parliament, but I have realized that there is far more to it than that.
I think it is important to find new ways to reach people who are disengaged with politics for a healthy democracy. I suspect that the revival of modern conservatism will take place over the next decade, as much outside parliament as in it.
I want to do things differently for my part. I have discovered a whole new world of possibilities, and I am excited to explore new ways 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 rough deal from the education system. He said that it was an honour to serve as an MP, and he said that I will play my part in the debate about the future of our country and engage with the country in new ways.