Father of House to quit
after 55 years as an MP

The Conservative told his local association last night that he will not fight the 2015 campaign.

Sir Peter, 84, was first elected to the Commons 55 years ago aged 29 and has contested 15 parliamentary elections in five constituencies.

As a result of his lengthy parliamentary service, Sir Peter is Father of the House, a title bestowed on the MP who has served in the Commons for the longest time without a break.

A former stockbroker and merchant banker, he was a persistent critic of Margaret Thatcher’s economic policy and was named as the Tory MP to second Michael Heseltine’s nomination for the leadership of the Conservative Party in 1990.

Sir Peter was personal assistant to Sir Anthony Eden during the 1955 General Election campaign. He went on to fight, and lose, a by-election at Wednesbury, Staffordshire, in 1957, but won West Nottingham from Labour in 1959, only to lose it in 1964.

He was a front-bench Opposition spokesman on Treasury and Economic Affairs and on Foreign Affairs in the 1970s.

Sir Peter’s decision to stand down will open up a plum vacancy in a safe Tory seat. In the 2010 election he secured a 13,871 majority.

Speculation will inevitably focus on Boris Johnson, particularly after David Cameron said today he wants the mayor of London back in the Commons at the next election.

Mr Johnson has always insisted that he will see out his term in the capital, due to end in 2016, but the Prime Minister suggested that he “can stay on as mayor and come back to the House”.