Matt Hancock has announced he will not stand for the Conservatives at the next General Election.

In a letter to the prime minister published on his Twitter account, Hancock said: "I am writing to tell you that I do not intend to stand for the Conservatives at the next General Election. I am very grateful for my conversation with the Chief Whip last week, in which he made clear he would restore the whip in due course, but that is now not necessary."

Hancock was suspended as a Conservative MP after it was announced he would be taking part in I'm A Celebrity.

In his letter, the former health secretary listed what he sees as achievements as MP for West Suffolk including the establishment of three Free Schools, dualling of the A11, supporting the horse racing industry and expanding Newmarket Hospital.

After being elected as an MP in May 2010, he entered government in 2012 and served in a number of ministerial positions. He served as Secretary of State fo Health and Social Care from July 2018 to June 2021 when he resigned after breaking social distancing guidelines kissing a colleague.

Hancock said: "There was a time when I thought the only way to influence the public debate was in Parliament, but I've realised there's far more to it than that. I have increasingly come to believe that for a health democracy we must find new ways to reach people - especially those who are disengaged with politics."

In an apparent reference to his time on I'm a Celeb, he said: "I have discovered a whole new world of possibilities which I am excited to explore - new ways for me to communicate with people of all ages and from all backgrounds."