John Austin is standing down from Erith & Thamesmead at the next General Election. It's supposedly a relatively safe seat but is anything safe for Labour now?
The seat is one of eleven south London seats for which the Conservative Party will select as a group - as noted last week.
This statement from Mr Austin appears on ePolitix:
"It is unlikely that there will be a General Election before late next year or 2010; in either case I will then be over 65, and 70 by the end of the next Parliament. At present I feel fit and well and I had thought of delaying a decision until I reach 65, but that would have been unfair on the Party and risk the possibility of being so close to an election that there might not be time for a full selection process if I chose to stand down then. Erith & Thamesmead is one of the most challenging constituencies with one of the highest levels of casework and whilst I feel fit, active and enthusiastic now, I am not sure that I will want to be working a 7 day, 70 hour week when I am 70."