LONDON, Dec 2 — Britain's former finance minister Sajid Javid on Friday said he would not be standing at the next election, as the Conservative party faces a slump in support after 12 years in power.
A by-election held in the City of Chester constituency in northwest England on Thursday saw Labour retain the seat as expected but the Tories haemorrhage support. Javid -- a cabinet minister under David Cameron, Theresa May and Johnson -- said he had thought long and hard about the decision. Javid, the son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver, was Britain's first Muslim home secretary and chancellor of the exchequer.He quit the Treasury in February 2020 after refusing an order from 10 Downing Street to fire all his special advisers. He was replaced by Rishi Sunak, who is now prime minister."May the Force be with you, Saj," he added.