David Cameron leaves politics as he resigns as MP for Witney

Former British prime minister David Cameron is standing down as the Conservative MP for Witney two months after resigning as prime minister.

The former Conservative leader said he had decided it was not possible to be a proper backbencher having been at the helm of the government.

He said he would offer his full backing to the candidate who stood in his place, arguing that he did not want to be a “distraction” to prime minister Theresa May’s government.

In an interview with ITV, the former prime minister said: “I have thought about this long and hard over the summer and I have decided the right thing to do is to stand down as the member of parliament for Witney. There will be a byelection. I will give the Conservative candidate my full support.

“In my view, with modern politics, with the circumstances of my resignation, it isn’t really possible to be a proper backbench MP as a former prime minister. I think everything you do will become a big distraction and a big diversion from what the government needs to do for our country,” he said.

Ms May said: “I was proud to serve in David Cameron’s government and under his leadership we achieved great things. Not just stabilising the economy but also making great strides in delivering serious social reform. His commitment to leading a one nation government is one that I will continue. I thank him for everything he has done for the Conservative party and the country and I wish him and his family well for the future.”

An ally of Ms Cameron argued that his decision to step down was not meant to be a statement about Ms May’s policies, but rather a move that would support the new Conservative leader.

They said the “speed of events” following the referendum prevented him from making this decision straight away, and he wanted to spend the summer considering his future. They added that Mr Cameron would be focusing on “causes close to his heart”, including the anti-corruption agenda, transparency on aid, fighting dementia, schooling and life chances.

Critics of Ms May’s government have suggested that she has shifted to the right from Mr Cameron’s modernising agenda. The previous prime minister was critical of grammar schools, for example, and left Downing Street urging his successor to maintain promises on international aid.

While there has been no suggestion of a shift in policy on the latter, some have questioned the decision to appoint Priti Patel, who has been critical of the Department for International Development’s work in the past.

Mr Cameron’s life chances strategy, which he had planned to unveil in the summer, has yet to be revealed by Ms May’s government although she has spoken about similar causes. However, Mr Cameron’s ally insisted his decision was not linked to any of the changes.

Mr Cameron said he supported Ms May and that she had “got off to a great start”. He said he would continue living locally in his Witney constituency and support local causes and charities, but also start to build a life outside Westminster that would include public service. Asked if his decision would be seen as a snub to Ms May, Mr Cameron replied that she was understanding of her decision. “I support her. I support what she’s doing. She has got off to a cracking start,” he said.

However, he added: “Obviously I am going to have my own views about different issues. People would know that. And that is really the point. As a a former prime minister, it is very difficult, I think, to sit as a backbencher and not be an enormous diversion and distraction from what the government is doing. I don’t want to be that distraction.”

Mr Cameron’s decision is a turnaround, having previously said he wanted to continue as MP for Witney.

George Osborne, who served in Cameron’s cabinet as chancellor, tweeted:

“Sorry to see my great friend @David_Cameron stepping down – he loved being Witney’s MP; I know how difficult this decision has been for him”

Guardian service