Veteran politician Andrew Dismore to stand down at next election

A driving force behind Holocaust Memorial Day and former Labour MP Andrew Dismore has announced his decision not to seek re-election to the London Assembly in 2020.

Dismore said that he had notified the London Labour Party that he would not be seeking reselection as the party’s candidate for Barnet and Camden in 2020.

“It has been a privilege to represent Labour over the years, to have been involved in so many campaigns, and to have been able to help so many constituents with their concerns and problems,” he said.

“In 2012, winning Barnet and Camden’s London  Assembly seat for Labour for the first time enabled me to expose  Boris Johnson’s many shortcomings, fighting  his cuts especially to the fire brigade and police. Winning for a second time meant I could at last back a Labour Mayor of London in supporting  our services, building new homes, and taking  on the battle over Brexit.”

Dismore added that after almost four decades in politics as a councillor, MP and London Assembly Member, it “feels the time is right to stand down at the May 2020 London elections. My decision is not on political but personal grounds.  After so long a time in front line politics, I would like to help and encourage someone else to have the opportunity of representing the people of Barnet and Camden.”

In 2001, Dismore introduced a Private Member’s Bill to institute HMD in Britain. In 2017, Hove Labour MP Peter Kyle said: “Holocaust Memorial Day was established in 2001 as a result of Andrew Dismore’s private Member’s Bill.

“We owe him a debt of gratitude because since that time it has provided our nation with the annual opportunity to pause to reflect on the Holocaust.

“It is necessary to pause because of the enormity of the holocaust and the impact it had on millions of individuals, on families and on humanity as a whole. It is not something we can consider lightly.”

Dismore was also at the forefront of the fight against former London mayor Ken Livingstone. When he was re-elected AM in 2016, Dismore told Jewish News: “I am grateful particularly to my Jewish constituents who kept faith with me. I will keep faith with them as I have throughout my political career, and one of my first objectives is to continue my campaign to have Ken Livingstone chucked out the party for good.”