FORMER West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street has ruled out running as an MP in the upcoming General Election.
In a statement Mr Street said he has ‘decided against’ standing because the job ‘has just never been for me.’
Rumours were circulating that he was tipped to become the Solihull West and Shirley Conservative Parliamentary candidate following his narrow defeat at the Mayor elections.
The Solihull native released a statement on social media he said: “I have always said that I never wanted to go into Westminster, and that the job as Mayor of the West Midlands was the right political role for me.
“But the truth is that since losing the Mayoral election earlier this month I haven’t been able to shake the overwhelming sense of duty to continue to serve in a public role.
“I have therefore thought long and hard about whether to try to stand for Parliament at the forthcoming General Election and become an MP. Ultimately however I have decided against it.
“Being an MP is a job of great importance, but it has just never been for me. Truthfully I have been an executive leader for 20 years now, and would find it extremely difficult to step back from that at this time.
“Many will assume now that I am destined to go back into business – but I still feel I have much to contribute to public life in a leadership role, and I look forward to exploring opportunities to do just that.”
