Matt Hancock has said that he will not stand as an MP at the next election.
In a letter to prime minister Rishi Sunak, Mr Hancock said that he wanted “to do things differently” and find “new ways for me to communicate with people”.
Mr Hancock, who was recently one of the final three contestants on reality show I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, said that he has realised there are different ways to “reach people” – other than representing them in parliament.
He wrote: “The Conservative Party must now reconnect with the public we serve. There was a time when I thought the only way to influence the public debate was in Parliament, but I’ve realised there’s far more to it than that.
“I have increasingly come to believe that for a healthy democracy we must find new ways to reach people – especially those who are disengaged with politics.”
He added that he has recently “discovered a whole new world of possibilities which I am excited to explore”.
More to follow…
