Michael Gove announces he is standing down at general election

Michael Gove has announced he is stepping down as an MP just days after giving a speech in which he called for politicians to “do better” in the fight against antisemitism.

In an announcement to his local party on Friday evening the Communities Secretary said “the chance to serve is wonderful” …. “but there comes a moment when you know that it is time to leave. 

“That a new generation should lead.”

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As a former education secretary, justice secretary, environment secretary and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Gove’s decision came amid a mass exodus of Conservatives ahead of the July 4th general election.

Gove, who gave no sign of wanting to quit politics when he delivered a lengthy antisemitism speech at the JW3 community centre last Tuesday, was facing a big challenge to hold on to his Surrey Heath seat, particularly from the Liberal Democrats.

An MP since 2005, Gove has always presented himself as a big ally of the community, regularly speaking at communal dinners, and expressing strong support for Israel and for Zionism.

On Tuesday he was keen to stress how Rishi Sunak’s government “is taking action” in the fight against antisemitism.

He blamed “opposition peers “

for stalling the progress of the government’s anti-BDS legislation, even though the bill has been heavily criticised by MPs and peers within his own party. 

Not Jewish himself, Gove has always expressed admiration for the community during his political career.

In speeches he regularly states:” “I was born, will live and die proud to be a Zionist.”

Speaking earlier this week to the national media at JW3 Gove to warn antisemitism is ‘currency of hate’ connecting Islamists with far-right and left he said:” When Jewish people are under threat, all our freedoms are threatened.

“The safety of the Jewish community is the canary in the mine. Growing antisemitism is a fever which weakens the whole body politic.”

In recent years he has invited grassroots communal organisations such as the CAA into meetings, alongside the Board and the JLC.

Challenged last Tuesday over claims that he sometimes presented Jewish communal opinion as being unanimous, especially over support for the government’s anti-BDS bill, Gove branded those argued against the legislation on the grounds it could make antisemitism worse as “appeasers”. Michael Gove admits progress has ‘slowed’ for government’s anti-BDS bill

Earlier this year, when Jewish News visited Europe’s largest Jewish state school JFS, some teachers in the history department were openly critical of the changes to the curriculum made under Gove’s spell as education secretary, arguing they had impacted on critical analysis.

In recent months Gove faced claims he was seeking to replace the government’s adviser on antisemitism Lord Mann with someone more politically aligned.

He denied the claims.

A record 78 Tory MPs have said they will not stand again at the election, beating the previous record of 72 from 1997.