Markus Andrews

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailMichael Gove has announced he is not standing for re-election as an MP ahead of the general election on July 4.The secretary of state for Levelling Up is one of the longest-serving Conservative ministers and the last remaining high-profile MP from the David Cameron government elected in 2010.The shock announcement is another blow to the Tory Party already scrambling to find candidates for almost a third of constituencies after Rishi Sunak announced the election on Wednesday.And it comes just hours after the prime minister visited the Titanic Quarter in Belfast – where he was asked by reporters if he was “captaining a sinking ship going into the election”.The secretary of state for Levelling Up, posted on X: “After nearly 20 years serving the wonderful people of Surrey Heath and over a decade in Cabinet across five government departments, I have today taken the decision to step down as a Member of Parliament.”Follow our politics live blog for all the latest general election updatesMr Gove said it was time for a “new generation” to lead and highlighted his time in various government roles, including as education secretary, Cabinet office minister and housing secretary.Mr Gove will not stand at the upcoming general election More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailParliament is expected to wind up on Friday after Rishi Sunak stunned Westminster by calling a snap general election for 4 July.The Commons is dissolved after an election is called and the official closure date for this election will be 30 May.After this date, MPs lose their jobs and either decide to leave politics, campaign for re-election in their constituency or run for a different seat.What is parliamentary ‘wash-up’Parliament shuts down on 30 May More

Theresa May told Conservative MPs to “go out there and fight” in the general election as she made a farewell speech in the House of Commons on Friday 24 May.The former prime minister confirmed in March her decision to stand down as the representative for Maidenhead, saying she would focus on championing causes instead.Ms May, 67, was first elected in 1997 and served as home secretary under David Cameron between 2010 and 2016 before succeeding him as prime minister. “I think it is the best job in the world,” she said of being an MP, before urging her colleagues to “go out there and fight” to get the Tories re-elected. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailThe Tories are scrambling to find candidates for almost a third of constituencies after Rishi Sunak’s decision to keep many of his party’s senior figures in the dark about his decision to call a snap election.It is understood that when Mr Sunak made his rain-sodden announcement on the steps of Downing Street on Wednesday afternoon, candidates for 191 of the 650 seats still needed to be selected. Since then more vacancies have occurred with a number of Tory MPs announcing they will retire, bringing the total to at least 78, breaking the 1997 record of 75. This dramatically included levelling-up secretary Michael Gove and former leadership candidate Andrea Leadsom on Friday evening.Party chiefs are desperately appealing to prospective candidates to put themselves forward for seats – many of which they are projected to lose heavily – with the Conservatives expected to still be putting up batches of adverts for constituencies into the weekend.Rishi Sunak told journalists he was ‘pumped up’ during his whirlwind tour of the UK More

Rishi Sunak has signalled the door is open for Boris Johnson to hit the campaign trail for the Tories.There has been speculation that the former prime minister, still seen by many Conservatives as a strong campaigner, might help drum up support for the party ahead of the 4 July general election.Asked whether it is time to bring back Mr Johnson on Friday (24 May), the prime minister said he would welcome “any Conservative to come and join the campaign”.Speaking in Belfast as part of his campaign tour of the UK, Mr Sunak said: “When it comes to Boris he was of course the person who got Brexit done, ensured we had the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe and was the first to make sure that we provided support to Ukraine.” More

Starmer responds to Jeremy Corbyn standing as independent candidate in general electionSign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak has confirmed he would welcome former prime minister Boris Johnson to join the Tory campaign and could make an appearance ahead of the general election on July 4.But the Conservatives have decided to ban Boris Johnson ally David Frost from standing as a candidate and from applying to stand in any of the constituencies left to nominate. The former Brexit secretary spent months criticising Rishi Sunak’s leadership of the party and country, even calling for him to be replaced.Meanwhile, the Commons has been hit by a wave of more than 100 resignations, with 76 Tories announcing they’re standing down so far. Craig Mackinlay, who lost his arms and legs from sepsis, has also joined the list and revealed that Sunak’s surprise announcement of a July election had him quit as an MP.Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn has announced he is standing as an independent candidate at the general election to fight Labour for Islington North, vowing to be “an independent voice for equality, democracy and peace”.Show latest update 1716562166General Election Contdown: Key dates May 24: Parliament prorogued which means the end of the Parliamentary session, bringing most business to an end.May 30: Parliament dissolved. By law, this has to take place no later than 25 working days before polling day.June 7: Deadline for candidates to be nominated. June 18: Deadline to register to vote. This can be done online at gov.uk/register-to-vote.June 19: Deadline to apply for a postal vote.June 26: Deadline to apply for a proxy vote – in other words, for someone to vote on your behalf – and to apply for a Voter ID certificate, if you do not already have a valid form of photo identification.July 4: Election day. Polls will open from 7am to 10pm.July 9: The new Parliament will be summoned to meet.July 17: State opening of Parliament.Labour will hope to hang on to its strong lead in the polls until election day More

The general election is six weeks away and one thing is for sure – we will be hearing an awful lot from the British public.As voters head to the ballot box, it’s not uncommon for news presenters to stop people in the streets and ask for their thoughts.Within hours of Rishi Sunak’s election announcement, Brits were quizzed on what to expect from both the prime minister and his Labour rival, Sir Keir Starmer.It’s fair to say opinion is mixed, with some forgetting who Mr Sunak is, and others branding the candidates “a load of prats”.Here, The Independent takes a look at some of the best vox pops we’ve seen so far. More

Football fans will be able to get “properly on the lash”, a Tory Lord said as he passed an order to extend licensing hours during the European Championships.The order to the Licensing Act 2003 (UEFA European Football Championship Licensing Hours) will extend sales of alcohol if either England or Scotland reach the semi-final or the final of the Euros, meaning premises will be allowed to remain open until 1am without having to notify the licensing authority.Conservative peer Lord Sharpe of Epsom, told the Lords on Friday (24 May): “So much of the business at the Home Offices is difficult, so it gives me particular pleasure that my last outing basically enables people to get properly on the lash.Lord Sharpe’s comments were met with laughter. More