Theresa May to 'champion causes close to her heart' as she steps down as MP at next election

As the UK is leading up into the next general elections, Theresa May has decided to step down as MP and quit the Commons. She is not the first conservative politician to make this move, as 63 others will also be leaving their seat.

Theresa May is leaving the Commons

While she continues to support current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and has faith the party will win the next general elections, she has said that she wants to now use her time to pursue causes that are 'close to her heart'. The former Prime Minister said:

Since stepping down as prime minister I have enjoyed being a backbencher again and having more time to work for my constituents and champion causes close to my heart including most recently launching a Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

She added that the causes 'have been taking an increasing amount of her time' and revealed:

I would no longer be able to do my job as an MP in the way I believe is right and my constituents deserve.

The 67-year-old, who became Prime Minister after David Cameron retreated from the position following Brits voting for Brexit in 2016, has been at Westminster for 27 years now. However, as she said, being an MP was not her only line of work in the past couple of years.

In fact, in 2023 Sky News revealed that of all the MPs, she earned the most from her 'side hustles.'

Theresa May the highest-earning MP in 2023

Figures from 2023 revealed that Theresa May earned over £2.5 million on top of her official salary from her side jobs since the last general election. This number surpasses all other MP’s earnings.

Most of the funds come from the former PM’s speaking engagements over the past three years which make a long list.

May’s biggest pay cheque came from the Cambridge Speaker Series that saw her pocket a staggering £408,200 - on top of flights and accommodation for her and her assistant - for six talks in California, US.

May earned another £38,000 for another virtual talk and received an eye-watering £107,600 from the World Travel and Tourism Council for a speech delivered in Saudi Arabia in November last year.

Sky News revealed that all the money from May’s activities outside her MP work go into the Office of Theresa May Limited. The former PM draws a salary of £85,000 a year from this company. According to her, the rest of the cash goes to charity, including diabetes groups.

Read more:

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Sources used:

Sky News: 'Westminster Accounts: MPs earn £17.1m on top of their salaries since the last election - with Tories taking £15.2m'

The Straits Times: 'Theresa May tops list of UK MPs’ earnings from side hustles: Sky News'

Sky News: Former prime minister Theresa May to stand down as MP at next general election