On Friday, a prominent member of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s administration became the most well-known Conservative legislator to leave the legislature in advance of the general election in July.
Former education, justice, and environment minister Michael Gove, who was once an ally of outgoing prime minister Boris Johnson, became the 77th Tory member of parliament to declare their intention to not run for office again.
Since 2015, the 56-year-old former journalist has held the position of prime minister for the Conservative Party four times.
“After nearly twenty years serving the wonderful people of Surrey Heath (his constituency) and over a decade in cabinet across five government departments, I have today taken the decision to step down,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Sunak on Wednesday ended months of speculation by calling a general election for July 4.
But with his Conservatives trailing the main opposition Labour Party in opinion polls, the dozens of MPs standing down has been taken by some as an indication of the level of demoralisation among Sunak’s lawmakers.
Some polls put give Labour leader Keir Starmer a more than 20-point lead over the Tories.
Brexit supporter Gove’s career has been marked by political falling-outs and comebacks.
He was education minister in David Cameron’s government before siding against him during the 2016 referendum campaign on leaving the European Union.
He then backed Johnson to become the new Conservative leader before launching his own unsuccessful bid.
He joined Brexiteer Johnson’s cabinet following the 2019 election but was sacked by him after telling the then prime minister his time in Downing Street was up as the 2022 government fell apart.
A number of prominent individuals have declared that they will not run for office again in July, including former prime minister Theresa May, minister for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris, former minister of the armed forces James Heappey, and former minister of defense Ben Wallace.
