LUDLOW MP Philip Dunne is to stand down at the next election.

He has served as MP for the town since 2005, but said social media had transformed the accessibility of MPs and the expectations of constituents had evolved since he was first elected.

Mr Dunne confirmed he has informed Ludlow Conservatives that he would not be putting myself forward for re-selection for the new parliamentary constituency of South Shropshire at the next General Election.

"I have been the Conservative Parliamentary Spokesman for the Ludlow constituency for almost 22 years and have been honoured to serve as the MP for Ludlow, my local town, for the past 18 years," a statement reads.

"For more than half of that time I have served on the front bench in Parliament.

"I was one of the eldest MPs of my intake, at 46 when first elected in 2005, and will turn 65 this summer. The political environment has changed enormously during my time as your MP, with the advent of social media, which did not exist when I was first elected, transforming accessibility of MPs and expectations of constituents of what their MP can do for them.

"I have been honoured to have played my part in helping individual constituents with their issues, sending some 100,000 letters or emails on their behalf. But also in striving to help the community as a whole in looking to make the Ludlow constituency a great place to live and work.

"In Government I was proud to serve as the Minister for Defence Procurement under David Cameron and Theresa May for almost four years. I also thoroughly enjoyed working for Jeremy Hunt as Minister of State for Health for eighteen months.

"For the past five years I have served on the Environmental Audit Committee, for the past three as its chairman. We have done important work in holding the Government to account, taking the lead in raising awareness of the water quality of our rivers and in the challenges of decarbonising our economy and retrofitting how we heat our homes.

"None of us know when the Prime Minister will call the next election. But I shall continue to work hard for all constituents until that time arrives.

"For those South Shropshire residents who have supported me along this journey I am most grateful for your support.

"But it has been the privilege of my life to have represented the Ludlow constituency in Parliament for approaching two decades, and I have enjoyed meeting and engaging with thousands of people across South Shropshire whom I have had the honour to serve whether they voted for me or not."