George Osborne is quitting as an MP.

In a letter  to Conservatives in his Tatton constituency, he said: “I am stepping down from the House of Commons – for now. But I will remain active in the debate about our country’s future and on the issues I care about, like the success of the Northern Powerhouse.

“At the age of 45, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life just being an ex-Chancellor. I want new challenges.  I’m very excited about the opportunity to edit the Evening Standard. I’ve met the team there, and their energy and commitment to this great newspaper are positively infectious.”

He was regarded as  a likely  future PM until the Brexit  vote. His Tatton seat is regarded as a very safe Tory constituency.