89 members of Parliament (MPs) chose to not seek reelection at the 2015 general election, meaning they were MPs in the 55th Parliament, but chose not to contest the 2015 general election (in some cases after being deselected by their parties). While at the previous election there had been a record 149 MPs not standing for reelection, the 89 standing down in 2015 represented a more usual number. These 89 consist of 37 Labour, 37 Conservative, 10 Liberal Democrat, 3 Independent, 1 Sinn Féin and 1 Plaid Cymru MP. There were no vacant seats at dissolution.
The highest profile members of Parliament leaving were Gordon Brown, the former prime minister and leader of the Labour Party (both 2007 to 2010) and chancellor of the Exchequer (1997 to 2007); and William Hague, the outgoing First Secretary of State and leader of the House of Commons and former Foreign Secretary (2010 to 2014), leader of the Conservative Party and leader of the Opposition (both 1997 to 2001).
Alongside Brown and Hague, seventeen former cabinet ministers stood down at the election, including Stephen Dorrell, Jack Straw, Alistair Darling, David Blunkett, Sir Peter Tapsell (the Father of the House having served continuously since the 1966 general election, in addition to his previous service), Sir Malcolm Rifkind and Dame Tessa Jowell, all of whom had served at least 23 years in the House of Commons. The highest profile Liberal Democrat to stand down was former leader Sir Menzies Campbell.
List of MPs In total, 89 members of parliament decided not to stand for re-election. MP Seat First elected Party Date announced Coventry North East 1992 7 December 2012 North East Hampshire 1987 (Wanstead and Woodford) 6 June 2011 Banbury 1983 1 September 2014 Bexhill and Battle 2001 14 July 2014 York Central 1992 5 December 2014 Berwick-upon-Tweed 1973 by-election 7 August 2013 Bootle 1990 by-election 12 June 2014 Northampton South 2005 22 July 2013 Salford and Eccles 1997 (Salford) 20 February 2014 Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough 1987 (Sheffield Brightside) 21 June 2014Press Release Mid Dorset and North Poole 2001 5 March 2013 Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath 1983 (Dunfermline East) 1 December 2014Brown to announce standing down from Commons BBC News – Politics Taunton Deane 2005 (Taunton) 15 October 2014 Gordon 1983 9 October 2013 Cannock Chase 2010 5 February 2014 North Warwickshire 2010 20 July 2014 North East Fife 1987 9 October 2013 Gower 1997 11 March 2012 Hertsmere 1992 3 July 2014 Workington 2001 28 June 2014 Edinburgh South West 1987 (Edinburgh Central) 2 November 2014 Southampton Itchen 1992 7 October 2011 Holborn and St Pancras 1979 (Holborn and St Pancras South) 18 July 2014 Aberdeen North 1987 (Aberdeen South) 19 October 2013Stephen DorrellCharnwood1979 (Loughborough) 25 November 2014Jonathan EvansCardiff North1992 (Brecon and Radnorshire) 17 January 2013Don FosterBath1992 8 January 2014Hywel FrancisAberavon 2001 22 November 2013Lorraine FullbrookSouth Ribble 2010 14 September 2013William HagueRichmond (Yorks) 1989 by-election 14 July 2014Peter HainNeath 1991 by-election 6 June 2014David HamiltonMidlothian2001 24 January 2015Dai HavardMerthyr Tydfil and Rhymney2001 24 September 2014David HeathSomerton and Frome1997 11 October 2013Charles HendryWealden1992 (High Peak) 1 March 2013David HeyesAshton-under-Lyne2001 1 March 2014Mark HobanFareham2001 23 January 2015Glenda JacksonHampstead and Kilburn1992 (Hampstead and Highgate) 23 June 2011Siân JamesSwansea East2005 25 February 2014Eric JoyceFalkirk2000 by-election (as Labour) 2 March 2012Chris KellyDudley South2010 31 August 2014Andrew LansleySouth Cambridgeshire1997 15 July 2014Jessica LeeErewash2010 20 January 2014Elfyn LlwydDwyfor Meirionnydd1992 (Meirionnydd Nant Conwy) 19 October 2013Andy LoveEdmonton1997 12 January 2015Peter LuffMid Worcestershire1992 (Worcester) 5 September 2012Francis MaudeHorsham1983 (North Warwickshire) 1 February 2015Jim McGovernDundee West2005 3 April 2015Anne McGuireStirling1997 14 January 2014Anne McIntoshThirsk and Malton1997 (Vale of York) 31 January 2014Andrew MillerEllesmere Port and Neston1992 10 December 2013Austin MitchellGreat Grimsby1977 by-election 16 April 2014George MudieLeeds East1992 4 October 2013Meg MunnSheffield Heeley2001 25 January 2014Conor MurphyNewry and Armagh2005 21 October 2014Paul MurphyTorfaen1987 30 January 2015Brooks NewmarkBraintree2005 11 October 2014Stephen O'BrienEddisbury1999 by-election 9 March 2015Richard OttawayCroydon South1983 (Nottingham North) 27 October 2012Jim PaiceSouth East Cambridgeshire1987 8 March 2013Dawn PrimaroloBristol South1987 11 November 2011John RandallUxbridge and South Ruislip1997 (Uxbridge) 10 July 2014Nick RaynsfordGreenwich and Woolwich1986 by-election (Fulham) 22 March 2013Malcolm RifkindKensington1974 (Edinburgh Pentlands, elected as Conservative) 24 February 2015Linda RiordanHalifax2005 12 February 2015Andrew RobathanSouth Leicestershire1992 (Blaby) 22 September 2014Hugh RobertsonFaversham and Mid Kent2001 14 January 2015Lindsay RoyGlenrothes2008 by-election 6 November 2013Joan RuddockLewisham Deptford1987 12 January 2013David RuffleyBury St Edmunds1997 28 July 2014Laura SandysSouth Thanet2010 25 November 2013Richard ShepherdAldridge-Brownhills1979 24 October 2014Mark SimmondsBoston and Skegness2001 11 August 2014John StanleyTonbridge and Malling1974 23 March 2012Jack StrawBlackburn1979 (as Labour) 25 October 2013Andrew StunellHazel Grove1997 29 September 2013Gerry SutcliffeBradford South1994 by-election 28 May 2014Ian SwalesRedcar2010 11 July 2014Peter TapsellLouth and Horncastle1959 (Nottingham West) 21 March 2014Joan WalleyStoke-on-Trent North1987 15 November 2013Robert WalterNorth Dorset1997 5 December 2014David WattsSt Helens North1997 3 January 2015Mike WeatherleyHove2010 3 July 2014David WillettsHavant1992 14 July 2014Mike WoodBatley and Spen1997 28 February 2014Shaun WoodwardSt Helens South and Whiston1997 (Witney) 7 November 2013Sarah TeatherBrent Central2003 by-election (Brent East) 7 September 2013Tim YeoSouth Suffolk1983 3 February 2014George YoungNorth West Hampshire1974 (Acton) 29 November 2013
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