Malcolm Moss quits as search for next MP begins
05 September 2007
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| MP Malcolm Moss votes with his feet to bring the Olympic Games to London in 2012 |
BY John Elworthy
THE fight to find a successor to Malcolm Moss, who has told his North East Cambs constituency that he is to stand down as MP at the next election, will begin almost immediately.
Mr Moss sprung his decision on the constituency association a month ago but the news was only released this week after details emerged of a special meeting of the Conservative Association executive to plan for his successor.
That meeting, to be held on September 17, will pave the way for the man or woman to replace Mr Moss who has been MP since winning the seat in 1987.
"I always reserved judgement on whether I would stand for another term," said Mr Moss who said his early announcement had been prompted, in part, by speculation about an early election.
"Gordon Brown is in the driving seat, he can tease us," said Mr Moss. "He is having fun in the meantime, keeping us dangling."
Mr Moss, whose 9,000 majority makes the NE Cambs seat one of the party's safest prospects, said he had spoken of the possibility of retiring with the chief whip and would be telling party leader David Cameron of his decision.
"I have concluded that with the 'old age pension' looming next year, perhaps this really is the right time to decide to make this Parliament my last," he said.
"I had to decide that if there was an election in October, would I want to serve another five years. No I wouldn't," he said.
Mr Moss, who began his career as a teacher before becoming a successful businessman, is a former Wisbech town councillor, former Mayor of Wisbech, and a Fenland district and Cambridgeshire county councillor.
He has also served in John Major's Government, at one time serving as Parliamentary Under Secretary in the Northern Ireland office.
"Northern Ireland was a huge challenge, but extremely rewarding for me," said Mr Moss. "One felt one had contributed to the peace process. Although the final solution did not occur for 10 years, the seeds were sown earlier by John Major's Government."
On a local level Mr Moss said a highlight for him had been working towards the Thorney by-pass "but in a way that's mirrored by the failure to get the whole of the A47 dualled, which has to be done."
Mr Moss denied his decision to quit was influenced by his removal from a Shadow Opposition culture post.
"It was becoming quite clear they needed to be thinking of making room for new people but I was a bit surprised it happened to me at that time," he said.
Mr Moss said he would not necessarily be retiring from public life and if something came along "not for money particularly" he would consider it.
- Do you have any favourite memories of Mr Moss? Send us your memories and photos to webdesk@cambstimes.co.uk
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