Senior Gay Conservative MP Crispin Blunt to step down at the next election
Blunt faced a backlash after initially defending a former MP convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.
Words: Emily Maskell; pictures: Wiki
The Conservative MP, Crispin Blunt, is standing down at the next election after representing Reigate in Surrey for 25 years.
This announcement follows Blunt’s defence of the Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad Khan who was removed from the Conservative Party in April after being convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy in 2008. He later apologised.
In a statement released on Sunday (1 May) Blunt confirmed that “after seven increasingly tumultuous parliaments, this will be my last.”
“I’ve had the honour to serve for 25 years”
“In looking forward to the next two years or so of this Parliament, whilst securing my re-election is no longer an interest, there will be continued joy in representing the citizens I’ve had the honour to serve for 25 years,” Blunt shared.
He continued: “I still enjoy the personal motivation to do this to the best of my ability, using my experience in their interests, individual and collective; to help secure the future of the Party that has given me this opportunity; and to also continue to call out long established populist views on policy shibboleths that continue to cause damage to our society and beyond.”
Blunt had initially referred to Khan’s conviction as a “dreadful miscarriage of justice,” but later backtracked and apologised following a backlash
“I am sorry that my defence of him [Khan] has been a cause of significant upset and concern, not least to victims of sexual offences. It was not my intention to do this,” Blunt said.
Announcing his decision to step down as chair of the All Party Parliamentary Party on Global LGBT+ rights on 12 April Blunt added: “It is a particularly difficult time for LGBT+ rights across the world and my statement risks distracting the APPG [All Party Parliamentary Group] for Global LGBT+ Rights from its important purpose.”
Mr. Blunt was first elected as the Reigate MP on 1 May 1997 and has served as a justice minister from 2010 to 2012.
As of Wednesday 4 May, Mr Khan has resigned as an MP.