Caroline Spelman, who liaises between the Church of England and Parliament, will stand down at the next general election.
The Conservative MP for Meriden has held her seat in the West Midlands since 1997 and has also been the Secretary of State for Environment and had many shadow ministerial roles.
Explaining her reasons for stepping down on Premier’s News Hour, she said: “I’ve been a member of parliament for 22 years and I’ve never really noticed a period quite like what we’ve been through over the last couple of years, it’s been very difficult.
“One of the main reasons I’ve given is that I have suffered a lot of abuse – online, in writing, verbally, and it’s been directed at me and my family and my staff and I really think it’s got to stop.
“I’ve worked hard to try to avoid a no deal Brexit because I saw the evidence of the impact it would have on the area where I live, because the West Midlands is the major exporting region to the EU, but that drew a lot of very, very abusive emails and I just feel we’ve had enough.
“I feel I’ve made the right decision, I’ve put the national interest first.”
Dame Caroline Spelman voted with the government throughout Theresa May’s battle over Brexit with the Commons and was the author of an amendment on giving expression to the majority of parliament.
She voted with Boris Johnson’s government on Tuesday night, when several of her…
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