By IRNA,
London : A record 146 British MPs have announced that they will not be standing to defend their parliament seats at the forthcoming general election and more are expected with over a month to go before polling day.
The number represents nearly a quarter of the 646 members of the House of Commons and includes 95 Labour MPs, nearly 30 per cent of the 345 members from the ruling party. Several are former ministers.
The biggest-ever exodus from the House of Commons also includes 35 of the 195 Conservative MPs, even though the main opposition party remains favourite to become government at the elections.
It compares with 84 stepping down at the last elections in 2005, when Labour was returned to power and 57 of its members retired. At the time, only 17 Conservatives decided against defending their seats.
The previous record was in 1997 when a total of 117 MPs choose not to contest their parliamentary seats. This included 73 Conservatives before they were swept from power.
The mass exodus comes after MPs from all parties have been discredited by the scandal over the extent of their expense claims that was exposed last year.