Jeremy Hunt has confirmed that he will not be remaining in post as shadow chancellor once the new Conservative leader is announced on Saturday.
The former chancellor revealed he has told both leadership contenders, Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch, that the Conservative Party “needs to show new faces to the country.”
Speaking to Sky News on Thursday morning, Hunt explained that he will return to the backbenches in the House of Commons. “This is the last interview I will do with you as either chancellor or shadow chancellor”, he said, “so thanks for the memories.”
The long-time cabinet minister admitted that he will miss being in a frontline job, saying it is a “privilege” to be “at the heart” of the decision-making process in government.
Hunt said: “I’ve told both the leadership contenders that having had that drubbing at the election, the Conservative Party needs to show new faces to the country. Politics is a tough game, but I recognise that’s how it works.”
But Hunt did leave the door open to a comeback, adding: “I will step back from the shadow cabinet at least for a few years.”
Asked what he will do instead, the ex-chancellor replied: “Well, hopefully I’ll be a slightly better dad. That’s top of the list.”
He went on: “I will be a very active backbencher, and I’ve got constituents who need representing in parliament. I’ll be doing my best for the people in Godalming and Ash.”
He said he will “absolutely” be remaining as an MP, noting that he fought extremely hard to keep his seat at the general election.
The former health secretary held onto his seat with a majority of just 891 votes in July, despite predictions he would become the most high-profile loser on election night.
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Hunt, who ran for the Conservative leadership in 2019 and 2022, also commented on his political future elsewhere on Thursday morning.
Speaking to ITV, Hunt said: “I think it is the right thing to do when a party suffers a loss of the scale that we have, so I will step back from the shadow chancellor role for a few years whilst the party recovers — but I will be very active on the back benches.”
It means the ex-chancellor will join Rishi Sunak, the former prime minister, on the backbenches for the remainder of this parliament.
Addressing the House of Commons for the final time as a frontbencher on Wednesday, Sunak vowed his focus now will be on his constituents.
The outgoing Conservative leader said that once he is relieved of his frontbench duties, he will be “spending more time in the greatest place on Earth, where the scenery is worthy of a movie set, and everyone is a character.”
He added: “That’s right, Mr. Speaker. If anyone needs me, I will be in Yorkshire.”
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Rishi Sunak: ‘If anyone needs me, I will be in Yorkshire’
