Veteran Tory Ken Clarke announces he will stand as MP again in June General Election

Veteran Conservative Ken Clarke has announced that he will once again stand to be an MP in June’s snap General Election.

Mr Clarke, the Father of the House, has represented the Nottinghamshire constituency of Rushcliffe since 1970.

The former Chancellor had previously suggested he would be stepping down at the next election, which was due in 2020, when he would be only a few weeks shy of 50 years in Westminster.

Speaking in June 2016 to China Daily, the 76-year-old said: “I have told the officers of my constituency association that once we have finished the boundary changes they had better start choosing my successor.

“I will not stand again. This is my last Parliament.”

However Mr Clarke’s office confirmed he intends to seek his party’s nomination to stand again in June after MPs overwhelmingly voted in favour of a snap election.

They said: “He’s putting himself forward to be the Conservative candidate for Rushcliffe in June.”

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Mr Clarke’s decision has gone down well with backbench colleagues.

Anna Soubry, the Conservative MP for neighbouring Broxtowe, said Mr Clarke’s decision to stand was “excellent news”.

She tweeted: “Delighted that Ken Clarke will be standing in the forthcoming general election.”

Top pic: PA