Election 2015: Kwasi Kwarteng dismisses rumours about quitting
Spelthorne Labour Party suggested on Twitter, voters had been asking if the Spelthorne MP was set to resign
Tory MP Kwasi Kwarteng has rubbished rumours he will quit, insisting he is looking forward to the general election.
Spelthorne Labour Party suggested on social media site Twitter, voters had been asking if the Spelthorne MP was set to resign, with a return to academia suggested.
But Mr Kwarteng said it was the most absurd thing he had ever heard.
“This is what happens at election – some crazy things,” he said. “It [the Labour party] is pretty desperate in the borough as it is not a Labour-friendly area".
"It is probably trying to generate movement. I guess someone like Ed Miliband is not going to be popular in Spelthorne."
"If you look at the Spelthorne demographic, most people work in the private sector and it’s traditionally quite a strong Conservative area."
"What Mr Miliband has to offer holds very little resonance. What I hear on the doorstep about Ed Miliband is pretty poor. Hearing that, if I were Labour, I’d try and stir things up.”
Mr Kwarteng pointed to the political ‘stability’ of the area, with Spelthorne having only four elected MPs since 1950 – with predecessor David Wilshire having held the seat for 23 years.
“It would be very odd for me to be upping sticks and going,” he said. “I haven’t said anything or done anything that would remotely suggest leaving. I got in five years ago and I’m not even 40 years old yet – it’s mad."
"I see it as a political thing as they’ve got nothing else to run on. They haven’t got a message in the borough.”
When asked whether he was confident of being re-elected in the upcoming general election on May 7, the Conservative replied: “One can never be complacent, but I’m in a reasonable position and look forward to working hard to get a result."
"I just feel I’ve got into the swing of things. I’m just finding my feet and I’m looking forward to the election.”
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