EXIT STAGE RIGHT
Mass exodus sees 78 Tory MPs confirm they’re quitting – breaking 1997 record
Heavyweights exiting stage right include ex-Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, ex-PM Theresa May and former Education Minister Robert Halfon.
A RECORD breaking 78 Tory MPs have confirmed they're quitting before the election.
The mass exodus tops the 75 that stood down ahead of Tony Blair's 1997 landslide victory.
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Heavyweights exiting stage right include ex-Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, ex-PM Theresa May and former Education Minister Robert Halfon.
Rail Minister Huw Merriman is also leaving the Commons, along with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.
Long-serving "bionic MP" Craig Mackinlay, who lost all his limbs to sepsis, also announced he won't re-stand.
Departing MPs delivered emotional tributes in the Commons as they spoke from the green benches for the final time.
Former army captain Mr Wallace issued a plea for future ministers to continue valuing defence.
He said: "Defence matters. It is not an add on after health and education.
"When we come to our manifestos, please invest in defence, make sure it’s core."
Fuel duty champion Mr Halfon said: "Hard to believe that I wanted to be an MP since I was 10 years old and now that dream and honour is coming to an end."
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On social media Mr Mackinlay posted: “Whilst my heart tells me to stand again, there being so much unfinished business across local regeneration and national issues which are important to me, my head knows this to be impossible at this time.”
Meanwhile, 30 MPs from Labour and seven from the SNP are quitting too.
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Parties have until June 7 to scramble together their final list of candidates.
The exodus came as Rishi Sunak was mocked for delivering a press conference at the Titanic museum in Belfast.
The PM was forced to confirm that he "is not the captain of a sinking ship".
MPs standing down before the election
Michael Gove (CON) - Surrey Heath, majority 18,349
Dame Andrea Leadsom (CON) - South Northamptonshire, majority 27,761
Jon Cruddas (LAB) - Dagenham and Rainham, majority 293;
Colleen Fletcher (LAB) - Coventry North East, 7,692;
Sir George Howarth (LAB) - Knowsley, 39,942;
Wayne David (LAB) - Caerphilly, 6,833;
Alan Whitehead (LAB) - Southampton Test, 6,213;
Paul Blomfield (LAB) - Sheffield Central, 27,273;
Alex Cunningham (LAB) - Stockton North, 1,027;
Dame Rosie Winterton (LAB) - Doncaster Central, 2,278;
Karen Buck (LAB) - Westminster North, 10,759;
Margaret Greenwood (LAB) - Wirral West, 3,003;
Christina Rees (LAB) - Neath, 5,673;
Holly Lynch (LAB) - Halifax, 2,569;
Yvonne Fovargue (LAB) - Makerfield, 4,740;
Hywel Williams (PLAID CYMRU) - Arfon, 2,781;
Dehenna Davison (CON) - Bishop Auckland, 7,962;
Tracey Crouch (CON) - Chatham and Aylesford, 18,540;
Pauline Latham (CON) - Mid Derbyshire, 15,385;
Gordon Henderson (CON) - Sittingbourne and Sheppey, 24,479;
Craig Whittaker (CON) - Calder Valley, 5,774;
John Howell (CON) - Henley, 14,053;
Matthew Offord (CON) - Hendon, 4,230;
Sir Mike Penning (CON) - Hemel Hempstead, 14,563;
Adam Afriyie (CON) - Windsor, 20,079;
Andrew Percy (CON) - Brigg and Goole, 21,941;
Mark Pawsey (CON) - Rugby, 13,447;
Edward Timpson (CON) - Eddisbury, 18,443;
Jo Gideon (CON) - Stoke-on-Trent Central, 670;
Sir Paul Beresford (CON) - Mole Valley, 12,041;
Stephen McPartland (CON) - Stevenage, 8,562;
Nicola Richards (CON) - West Bromwich East, 1,593;
Henry Smith (CON) - Crawley, 8,360;
Sir Robert Goodwill (CON) - Scarborough & Whitby, 10,270;
Sir Gary Streeter (CON) - South West Devon, 21,430;
Oliver Heald (CON) - North East Hertfordshire, 18,189;
Sir James Duddridge (CON) - Rochford and Southend East, 12,286;
Bob Stewart (CON) - Beckenham, 14,258;
Nick Gibb (CON) - Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, 22,503;
John Baron (CON) - Basildon and Billericay, 20,412;
Jamie Wallis (CON) - Bridgend, 1,157;
Lisa Cameron (CON) - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, 13,322,
Bob Neill (CON) - Bromley and Chiselhurst, 10,891;
Nickie Aiken (CON) - Cities of London and Westminster, 3,953;
Lucy Allan (CON) - Telford, 10,941;
Stuart Andrew (CON) - Pudsey, 3,517;
Richard Bacon (CON) - South Suffolk, 21,275;
Chris Clarkson (CON) - Heywood and Middleton, 663;
Andy Carter (CON) - Warrington South, 2,010;
Jonathan Djanogly (CON) - Huntingdon, 19,383;
Phillip Dunne (CON) - Ludlow, 23,658;
Stephen Hammond (CON) - Wimbledon, 628;
Trudy Harrison (CON) - Copeland, 5,842;
Alister Jack (CON) - Dumfries and Galloway, 1,805;
David Jones (CON) - Clwyd West, 6,747;
Greg Knight (CON) - East Yorkshire, 22,787;
Kieran Mullan (CON) - Crewe and Nantwich, 8,508;
Will Quince (CON) - Colchester, 9,423;
Paul Scully (CON) - Sutton and Cheam, 8,351;
Royston Smith (CON) - Southampton Itchen, 4,498;
James Grundy (CON) - Leigh, 4,965;
Michael Ellis (CON) - Northampton North, 5,507;
Sir David Evennet (CON) - Bexleyheath and Crayford, 13,103;
Mhairi Black (SNP) - Paisley and Renfrewshire South, 10,679;
Douglas Chapman (SNP) - Denfermline and West Fife, 10,669;
Angela Crawley (SNP) - Lanark & Hamilton East, 5,187;
Patrick Grady (SNP) - Glasgow North, 5,601;
Peter Grant (SNP) - Glenrothes & Central Fife, 11,757;
Stewart Hosie (SNP) - Dundee East, 13,375;
John McNally (SNP) - Falkirk, 14,948;
Phillipa Whitford (SNP) - Central Ayrshire, 5,304;
Michelle Gildernew (Sinn Fein) - Fermanagh and South Tyrone, 57;
Francis Molloy (Sinn Fein) - Mid Ulster, 9,537;
Mickey Brady (Sinn Fein) - Newry and Armagh, 9,287;
Nick Brown (IND, former LAB) - Newcastle upon Tyne East, 15,463;
Conor McGinn (IND, former LAB) - St Helens North, 12,209;
Julian Knight (IND, former CON) - Solihull, 21,273;
Crispin Blunt (IND, former CON) - Reigate, 18,310.