MP stepping down after 40 years
Veteran West Midlands Conservative MP Sir Patrick Cormack today announced he will be standing down at the next General Election due to ill health.
The 70-year-old, who has served as a Staffordshire MP since 1970, said he had been told to "ease-up" by his GP after recently suffering his third attack of bronchitis in two years.
Sir Patrick, the second-longest serving Tory MP, said today: "It has been the most difficult decision of my life and I have made it with enormous regret.
"I have been agonising over this over the last few weeks. This is a change of direction rather than retirement. It has been a tremendous privilege to serve South Staffordshire. At the moment I am feeling very deflated and sad but I hope to remain active in public life."
Lyndon Jones, chairman of the chairman of South Staffordshire Conservative Association, said Sir Patrick would be "greatly missed"
