Watford's Conservative association has thanked the town's MP after he announced he would be stepping down.

Richard Harrington MP, who has held the seat since 2010, revealed yesterday that he would not fight the next general election.

The former business minister had denied a rift with the association when he set up his own professional campaign group in May. He had persuaded all three of the association's professional staff to leave and work with his agent Chris Baxter, who had himself resigned that month.

In a statement released yesterday afternoon, the MP said: "It had always been my intention to step down at the next general election, due under the Fixed Term Parliament Act in 2022. However, with the current increasing uncertainty about an earlier election, I believe it right for me to make clear my intentions now.

"Therefore I have told my constituency chairman that I will not be offering myself for selection as the Conservative Party candidate for the next general election, whenever that may be."

Linda Topping, chairman of Watford Conservative Association, said: "Richard Harrington has been our MP in Watford for nearly ten years and we pay tribute to him for winning this marginal seat, for holding onto it through a further two elections and for all the good things he has brought to our town over the years. Residents will have noticed many positive changes from when he was first elected in 2010.

"We at Watford Conservatives wish Richard well in his retirement from frontline politics and look forward to finding and working with his replacement to keep a Conservative MP in Watford at the next election and beyond.

"Richard will continue to work as our MP until the next election and Watford Conservative Association will continue to work in full support of our Prime Minister and his government.”