John Austin MP to stand down

Andrea Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 03:35:24 PM GMT Print-friendly version Facebook

Erith and Thamesmead MP John Austin has annunced he will stand down at next GE.



Announcing his decision, he declared:

At present I feel fit and well and I had thought of delaying a decision until I reach 65, but that would have been unfair on the Party and risk the possibility of being so close to an election that there might not be time for a full selection process if I chose to stand down then.


Erith & Thamesmead is one of the most challenging constituencies with one of the highest levels of casework and whilst I feel fit, active and enthusiastic now, I am not sure that I will want to be working a 7 day, 70 hour week when I am 70.


Of course there will be some regrets but it has been a great privilege to represent the area and I am grateful for the good comradeship and support I have received over the past 16 years as MP. I will not be slowing down during my remaining period as MP. It will be business as usual.


The Party now has the chance to select a new candidate who could be in post by the end of the year and I will work and campaign with him or her to ensure a Labour victory at the next election."

He was first elected in 1992 gaining back Woolwich from SDP John Cartwright. Since 1997 he has represented the re-drawn Erith and Thamesmead constituency.
In 2005 he won with a 30.5% majority. After new boundary changes, the constituency will have a 26.11% notional majority.



tags: , , (all tags)

Display: Sort:
John Austin MP to stand down | 3 comments (3 topical)

Re: John Austin MP to stand down (#1)

by otware on Fri Aug 01, 2008 at 07:01:23 PM GMT

Shame. The Campaign Group MPs are all retiring.


Re: John Austin MP to stand down (#2)

by howard on Sat Aug 02, 2008 at 12:14:24 PM GMT

I am the Parliamentary Candidate for the neighbouring (and overlapping, thanks to boundary changes) seat of Bexleyheath and Crayford.

I think it's fair to say that John and I would disagree fundamentally about a few areas of policy.

However since I was selected last August John and his office could not have been more helpful - turning out on cold winter mornings to help us launch campaigns, coming canvassing and sharing information.

It's been one of the nicest surprises about being a candidate in Bexley - discovering that John Austin is a really decent bloke.

John has written and said some very supportive things in support of my campaign and I am very sorry I won't get the chance to work with John in Parliament. Whoever is selected in his place will have a tough act to follow.

Yes, John is of the left of the party - but he is also loyalist in the truest sense of the word - loyal to Labour values and to the movement. He understands that whatever our differences of opinion about how we put those values into practice, it is only by taking the people with us - and winning elections - that we get the chance to do so.

And that our opposition, whatever they may try to have people believe, fundamentally disagree with our values even when they may occasionally support our policies.

It is a lesson some of our comrades in senior roles might take on board.

Howard Dawber


Re: John Austin MP to stand down (#3)

by mra on Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 05:59:23 PM GMT

What news on the likely successors?  Presumably Pete Willsman fancies it, if it is not an AWS.


John Austin MP to stand down | 3 comments (3 topical)