MP for the Wells constituency and Armed Forces Minister James Heappey has announced he will not be standing as a candidate at the next general election.

In a letter to John Osman, chairman of the Wells and Mendip Hills Conservative Association, dated 15 March, Mr Heappey said he had "taken the painful decision not to stand as a candidate in the forthcoming election."

He said that he had concluded that "now is the time to step away from politics, prioritise my family and pursue a different career".

He thanked the Wells Conservative Association for selecting him as their candidate and said "the opportunity to serve the communities of the Wells constituency for the last nine years has been the greatest honour of my life".

Mr Heappey confirmed his intention to support Rishi Sunak as Conservative party leader and Prime Minister.