Labour MP Kevin Brennan says he is standing down

Labour MP Kevin Brennan has announced he will stand down ahead of the general election.

Mr Brennan said in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he had originally intended to stand for a seventh term in Parliament following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's surprise election announcement, but had changed his mind following discussions with his family.

In 2022 he revealed he had undergone surgery to treat prostate cancer.

He has served the Cardiff West parliamentary seat for 23 years and is Labour's shadow minister for victims and sentencing.

In a social media post on Monday evening, Mr Brennan wrote: "I’m announcing my decision to stand down as Cardiff West MP after 23 years - thank you to local Labour members and constituents for your friendship and support."

He attached a personal statement, in which he wrote that after speaking to his family, "I have concluded that this is the right election for me to stand down".

"The job of a Member of Parliament is immensely rewarding but hugely demanding for the individual and their loved ones.

"I have always enjoyed its intensity and challenge, but after surgery for prostate cancer a small seed of doubt was sown as to whether I should continue in such a full-on role."

He said he was “immensely sad to stand down as an MP” and, despite previously supporting rival Lisa Nandy for Labour leader, reiterated his support for Keir Starmer, “who I passionately hope will become Prime Minister in July".

Mr Brennan was first elected in 2001, serving as a whip and in three different ministerial positions under two Labour prime ministers, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

Mr Brennan won the seat at the 2019 election with a majority of 10,986 votes.

But the constituency boundaries have changed for this year’s general election as the number of Welsh seats in Westminster is reduced from 40 to 32.

The new Cardiff West constituency will include the Pontyclun wards of neighbouring Rhondda Cynon Taf council – which were previously part of the Labour-held Pontypridd and Ogmore seats.