Tyne Bridge's David Clelland is latest MP to stand down
So another one bites the dust. .
It's clearly been a recent decision.
His seat disappeared in boundary changes but , seeing off competition from the town's other MP Sharon Hodgson (subsequently selected for Washington and Sunderland West).
But of course a lot has happened since then.
Like so many, he fell foul of bad publicity on expenses.
An arrangement which saw him buy out his partner's share of the mortgage on their London flat .
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If he stayed on he could have also had to sack his own partner Brenda, who also happens to be his secretary.
But he says it was intimations of mortality that have made him decide to step down.
at the age of 63 was the moment he says he decided to go.
Mr Clelland is almost 67 so will be in his 70s at the likely end of the next parliamentary term.
He leaves a plum seat in which should be a safe bet for any Labour candidate.
The party filled another prime vacancy at the weekend.
. She succeeds Hilary Armstrong.
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The Conservatives have already picked .
The Liberal Democrat candidate is local financial adviser and councillor .
Labour still has to select for vacancies in Wansbeck and Tyneside North (Standing down respectively Denis Murphy and Stephen Byers).
Will any more of our MPs stand down?
Probably, but time is now running out so it will have to be within the next few weeks.
I'm Richard Moss, the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳'s Political Editor for the North East and Cumbria. Welcome to my irreverent - but hopefully insightful - northern take on reporting politics for Look North and the Politics Show.
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