MP JONES TO QUIT - ANNOUNCEMENT MONDAY

12-01-2007

Birmingham Selly Oak MP Lynne Jones is to stand down at the next election. She'll make an official announcement on Monday, but has already written to members of her constituency party telling them of her decision.

With the reduction in the number of constituencies in South and East Birmingham from four to three, Jones faced a tough battle to hang onto her seat.

Although Clare Short's decision to quit Ladywood theoretically left a vacancy, there's a strong feeling that a new candidate - possibly an outsider - will be selected there.

Roger Godsiff looks safe for now in Sparkbrook, leaving Jones to battle it out with Blair loyalist Steve McCabe for the merged Selly Oak/Hall Green area - and as Jones is regarded as one of the “awkward squad” there was no guarantee that she would win the battle.

Yet although she is seen as something of a troublesome left-winger in the New Model labour party, Jones is in fact a Labour traditionalist, arguably more in touch with grass roots party supporters than Blair - witness her opposition to tuition fees and the Iraq war.

You can see the interview below....