Janet Dean, MP for Burton and Uttoxeter, has announced her intention to stand down at the next General Election. 

Janet made the announcement last year.  Explaining her reasons, she said,

“If the General Election is called in 2009 I will then be 60, and I will have been an elected representative for 28 years.  I believe that it is the right time to announce that I do not wish to stand at the next election.  I do so now in order to allow plenty of time to ensure that my successor can have sufficient time to campaign to keep the Burton constituency for Labour.”

“At the next general election the constituency boundary changes in favour of the Labour Party and I believe that we can retain the seat for Labour.  We will have a new leader and I’m confident that Gordon Brown will refresh and renew politics in Britain. I believe that by ensuring that we engage with the electorate, discuss Labour’s many achievements in Government and listen to the their aspirations for the future, we can achieve an historic fourth term in Government.”

“I believe that we should be proud of Labour’s achievements over the past decade, with the transformation we have made to our NHS and our schools, the introduction of the first ever minimum wage, increased employment and lower unemployment – cut by 57% in Burton – and the help we have given to hard working families and pensioners.  We have a proud record to take to the electorate.”

“I have worked and campaigned for the Labour Party for 37 years and although it is my wish to stand down as MP at the next election, I will continue to do everything in my power to help retain the Burton constituency and to keep a Labour Government, not only at the next election but into the future.”

Janet added,

“It has been a great privilege to have been the Labour MP for Burton for the past 10 years and I will continue to work hard to represent all my constituents until the next General Election.”