Full list of Tory MPs stepping down ahead of next general election as Ben Wallace confirms resignation plans

Defence secretary Ben Wallace has confirmed he will step down from the role at the next cabinet reshuffle. The Tory MP will step down from his defence secretary role after four years.

While he told the Sunday Times he would not stand at the next general election, he ruled out leaving "prematurely" and triggering a by-election. The MP has served as defence secretary under three prime ministers - Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

Mr Wallace played an important role in the UK’s response to the Russia-Ukraine war.

In his resignation letter, Mr Wallace said he was quitting frontline politics due to the toll it had taken on his family.

He said: “While I am proud to have worked with so many amazing people and helped contribute to protecting this great country, the cost of putting that ahead of my family is something I am very sad about."

But which other Tory MPs have revealed they will be stepping down from their roles ahead of the next general election which is expected to take place in 2025? Here’s everything you need to know.

Full list of Tory MPs stepping down ahead of next general election

Matt Hancock. MP for West Suffolk and former health secretary. The 44-year-old lost the whip after abandoning his constituents to join ITV’s I’m a Celebrity last year and said he would not stand again in the next general election.

Sajid Javid. MP for Bromsgrove and former home secretary. He announced he would not stand in the next election back in December 2022 and said being an MP had been "the privilege of [his] life".

Dominic Raab. MP for Esher and Walton, and former deputy PM. Mr Raab was forced to quit Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet earlier this year over bullying allegations from civil servants. He will step down from his MP role at the next election.

Mark Pawsey. MP for Rugby and a senior backbencher. Announced he was stepping down from the role after 13 years after a “great deal of consideration.”

George Eustice. MP for Camborne and Redruth since 2010 and former environment secretary. He confirmed he is stepping down from the role due to wanting “the opportunity to do a final career outside of politics”.

Chris Pincher. MP for Tamworth and former deputy chief whip. He was forced to quit the deputy chief whip role in 2022 after he faced allegations he groped two men in a private members’ club. He had the Tory whip suspended and has since been sitting as an independent MP.

Dehenna Davison. MP forBishop Auckland. The 29-year-old said she would be stepping back from Westminster as she hasn’t "had anything like a normal life for a 20-something".

Douglas Ross. MP for Moray. The Scottish leader said he will be standing down to focus on being a Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) at Holyrood.

Adam Afriye. MP for Windsor. He announced he would be stepping down in July 2022 after 18 years in Parliament.

William Wragg. MP for Hazel Grove. He announced he would not defend his seat at the next election after accusing No10 of “blackmailing” MPs into keeping Boris Johnson in office.

Chloe Smith. MP for Norwich North. She became Parliament’s youngest MP when she joined in 2009.

Charles Walker. MP for Broxbourne. He announced he’d be stepping down as politics had become a "pretty toxic environment".

Chris Skidmore. MP for Kingswood. He said he would step down from the role as his kids “deserve to see more of their father” and his seat is being axed due to boundary changes.

Andrew Percy. MP for Brigg and Goole,a constituency which will be abolished due to the boundary review. Said he would be leaving the role as he’d “done it for longer than I ever expected or intended.”

Crispin Blunt. MP for Reigate. The ex-minister said he would stand down from the role as he marked 25 years in Parliament.

Sir Mike Penning. MP for Hemel Hempstead. He stood down from the role as he said it was “now time to allow a new candidate”.

Sir Gary Streeter. MP for South West Devon. Sir Streeter has been MP since 1992 and in his resignation letter, he wrote: “The time has come for me to step back and let a younger person take over.”

Edward Timpson. MP for Eddisbury. He will be stepping down from the role after just one term. He said about his resignation: "I turn 50 this year, and want to use this opportunity… to return in part to legal practice, but also advocacy roles for vulnerable children and families."

Jo Gideon. MP for Stoke-on-Trent. The MP, who won the seat from Labour back in 2019, is also quitting the role after one term. She said she had not "come to this decision lightly".

Robin Walker. MP for Worcester and former schools minister. He said he’d be leaving the role as his family "needs me to be more present and that the strains of living in two places and weekend commitments involved with the life of an MP, are not ones I can continue to sustain".

Pauline Latham. MPfor Mid Derbyshire. The MP revealed she will retire from the role after thinking "long and hard" about her future.

Sir Paul Beresford. MP for Mole Valley since 1997. Leaving the role as his constituency is expected to not exist at the next election due to boundary changes.

Stephen McPartland. MP for Stevenage since 2010. The MP said he would be leaving the role "much soul searching".

Sir Graham Brady. MP for Altrincham and Sale West. The MP said he would step down after 26 years as an MP ahead of the next general election.