Dame Margaret Hodge MP to stand down at next general election

Dame Margaret Hodge MP has been the MP for Barking and Dagenham since the 1994 by-election

The MP for Barking, Dame Margaret Hodge, has announced that she will be stepping down at the next general election. 

She shared the decision via a video posted on social media by journalist Rachel Wearmouth where she thanked her local party for friendship, loyalty and the love they’ve shown her.

Labour’s @margarethodge is to stand down at the next election, she told her local party members tonight.

She has been MP for Barking and Dagenham since 1994, served in several ministerial posts & has been chair of the Public Accounts Committee pic.twitter.com/WyPbKkY3lC

— Rachel Wearmouth (@REWearmouth) December 2, 2021

It’s a post that Hodge has held since 1994 and has held various positions ministerial posts during her political career. 

Her most recent role was as chair of the Public Accounts Committee, which is responsible for overseeing government expenditure and making sure that it is fair and honest. 

She was made a Dame in 2015 for her political and public service. 

During the video on Twitter, she says that her favourite moment of her political career was seeing off British National Party’s Nick Griffin when he decided to run for the Barking seat in 2015. 

She said: “The biggest, biggest success and the biggest moment in my life was really our campaign to get rid of the BNP and see them off.

“I remember my speech, I told them to pack their bags and go, that is still absolutely stamped on my heart as a massive moment.”

Hodge confirmed that she will still be an MP until the next general election. 

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