A long-serving pillar of the community has announced that he will be stepping down from his parliamentary duties.

Clive Soley, MP for Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush will not be standing in the next general election in 2005 in favour of retirement, he said in a written statement issued by the House of Commons.

Mr Soley, who has an unbroken Parliamentary record of 26 years serving the communities of Hammersmith North before Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush in 1997, said he was sad to be leaving his parliamentary duties but was looking forward to retiring.

He said: "I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone in the local party, past and present for the fantastic loyalty and support that they have given me over so many years.

"I won't give up work completely. I am sure I will do other things but not sure what. I will have a good holiday after the next general election and I shall be putting my feet up."

The former East London man was elected as a Labour MP in 1979 for Hammersmith North and spent the first 18 years of his political career with the Conservatives in power until Tony Blair led Labour to victory in 1997.

Mr Soley has served on several select committees but most recently has been working on the House of Lords Reform.

Cllr Julian Bell, chairman of the Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush Labour Party will be sorry to see Mr Soley leave and praised him for his work over the years. He said: "We are all very sorry that Clive is standing down at the next general election. Over many years he has done a fantastic job standing up for the local people.

"We owe him a debt of gratitude for his dedicated service both in and out of government. Thank you Clive you will be very hard to replace."

The selection process for Mr Soley's successor will begin in the autumn.

January 30, 2003 18:00