David Cameron is to stand down as MP with immediate effect, he has announced.
Mr Cameron, who has represented Witney in Oxfordshire since 2001, will trigger a by-election to find a successor for the area in Parliament.
He had stepped down as Prime Minister the morning of the 24 June European Union referendum result after it became clear he had accidentally taken Britain out of the bloc.
Mr Cameron told broadcasters he would not be able to properly represent his area given the circumstancs of his departure as Prime Minister.
Backing Theresa May's premiership, he said also said he did not want to be a "distraction" for the Government.
"With modern politics, with the circumstances of my resignation, it isn’t really possible to be a proper backbench MP as a former prime minister," he said.
"I think everything you do would become a big distraction and a big diversion for what the government needs to do for our country. I support Theresa May, I think she’s got off to a great start, I think she can be a strong Prime Minister for our country.
"I don’t want to be that distraction. I want Witney to have a new MP who can play a full part in parliamentary and political life without being a distraction."
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