SUFFOLK Coastal MP and former cabinet minister John Gummer today signalled he plans to carry on in the House of Commons.He told the Evening Star he has no plans to step down from parliament and hopes to stand at the next general election.

By Paul Geater

SUFFOLK Coastal MP and former cabinet minister John Gummer today signalled he plans to carry on in the House of Commons.

He told the Evening Star he has no plans to step down from parliament and hopes to stand at the next general election.

The 62-year-old former cabinet minister has many other interests, but insisted that representing Suffolk Coastal in the House of Commons remained his main job.

"I have no intention of retiring from the House of Commons," he insisted. "I've got friends in the House of Lords but I have no wish to join them there. I enjoy retaining my links with the grassroots of politics."

Mr Gummer made his position clear as speculation about his future rose.

Conservative Central Office has asked long-serving MPs to tell their local associations whether they intend to seek re-election as soon as possible.

This is to give associations the chance to pick a new candidate as soon as possible if their current member is planning to retire.

"Whether I actually stand depends, of course, on whether the constituency association selects me again, but it is certainly my intention to stand again," Mr Gummer added.

Although he is no longer in government, the former Environment Secretary retains a keen interest in green matters.

He was a member of the British delegation to the Earth Summit in Johannesburg earlier this month.

"That is very interesting work, but coming back here and dealing with constituency matters keeps my feet on the ground – that is my most important work," he maintained.