Dame Tessa says she will not defend her Dulwich and West Norwood seat, which she’s held since 1992, at the 2015 General Election.
She announced her decision o Twitter, saying: “Tonight I announced my decision to stand down at next election as MP for Dulwich & West Norwood – hardest personal decision I have ever made.”
In Government she served under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, serving as a Minister in the Department of Health and later in the Department for Education and Employment.
In 2001 she was appointed Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. In this role she had responsibility for the capital’s 2012 Olympic bid, a brief she continued to hold after being demoted to Minister for London in 2007.
She rejoined the Cabinet as Minister for the Cabinet Office as part of Gordon Brown’s 2009 reshuffle.
After Labour lost the 2010 General Election she served as Shadow Minister for the Olympics and Shadow Minister for London until resigning in September 2012.
The former Minister has previously been tipped as a possible Labour candidate for Mayor at the 2016 City Hall elections.
In October a YouGov poll for the Evening Standard placed her ahead of potential rivals David Lammy and Sadiq Khan with 17% of respondents naming her the best potential Labour runner. Mr Lammy scored 7% in the same poll and Mr Khan just 5%.
Both men have previously expressed an interest in standing but have said they plan to defend their Westminster seats before making a final decision.
