Dehenna Davison to stand down as Bishop Auckland MP at next election

Davison became the first ever Conservative MP for Bishop Auckland when she was elected in 2019 and became a key figure in the Tory red wall.

The 29-year-old recently became Levelling Up Minister, a role she told The Northern Echo was “the dream”.

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But revealing her decision to stand down at the next General Election she said she feels “the time is right”.

Dehenna Davison was elected as the first Conservative MP for Bishop Auckland in 2019. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Dehenna Davison said: “For my whole adult life, I’ve dedicated the vast majority of my time to politics, and to help make people’s lives better.

“But, to be frank, it has meant I haven’t had anything like a normal life for a twenty-something.        

“I’ve worked on, managed, and stood in so many election campaigns, and, since being elected in 2019, I’ve given my all to being an MP. As well as supporting constituents with their individual challenges, I’ve fought hard to bring £70m of new Government investment to the Bishop Auckland constituency, to see plans put in place to breathe new life into our high streets and create new leisure facilities locally, and to finally get the much needed Toft Hill Bypass and Whorlton Bridge repairs in the pipeline.

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“And I’ve campaigned on wider issues I feel passionately about, particularly on raising awareness of the dangers of one punch assaults.

Dehenna Davison backed Liz Truss in the summer's leadership race. (Image: CHRIS BOOTH)

“I will always be humbled to have had the opportunity to serve as a Member of Parliament. But now the time feels right for me to devote more of my attention to life outside politics - mainly to my family and helping support them as they’ve helped support me.

“That’s why I won’t be standing in the next General Election.”

The MP, who supported Liz Truss during this summer’s leadership contest, has also forged a career on TV, presenting for news channel GB News.

Ms Davison added: “Just to reassure, until the election comes, I absolutely won’t be checking out. I will continue to serve my constituents with the same gusto and dedication right until the day when I hand the baton onto the next person who will have the honour of representing the amazing people of Bishop Auckland.

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“I will always be grateful to the Conservative Party as a whole, and to all the individual members who have supported me, for giving a young, working class lass from Sheffield the opportunity to serve as an MP. And I will always be passionate about politics as a means to create meaningful, lasting and positive change.

Davison was elected as Bishop Auckland MP in 2019. (Image: The Northern Echo)

“For now, I’m not sure what my future beyond MP life looks like, but, when the time comes, I’m really excited to find out.”

Reacting to the news Cllr Luke Allan Holmes, Chairman of Bishop Auckland Conservatives said: “On behalf of the Bishop Auckland Conservative Association I would like to thank Dehenna for the tireless work she has done to support our communities throughout the Bishop Auckland constituency.

“Since her election in 2019 she has been instrumental in securing over £70 million of government funding for our area and has given put our area the kind of national spotlight that would have been unthinkable just a few short years ago.

“She is a credit to our party and constituency. While it is naturally disappointing to lose her, we wholeheartedly support her decision and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.”

Recent polling suggested Davison would lose Bishop Auckland at the next General Election, with Labour reportedly having an 87% chance of winning the seat.

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