By IRNA,
London : The forthcoming general election in Britain is set to see the biggest-ever exodus of MPs from the House of Commons, with a record of 130 already declaring their intentions to stand down.
In the past week, three senior Labour MPs have announced their retirement, bringing the total so to 83 from Britain’s ruling party and more are expected to follow before the election, which is likely to be held in May, with the government forecast to be facing defeat.
Despite opinion polls consistently showing that the Conservatives will win back power for the first time since 1997, 35 of their MPs have already declared they will leave politics.
The list comprises several former minister, including former deputy prime minister John Prescott, former home secretary John Reid and former international development secretary Clare Short.
The mass exodus, which compares with 84 stepping down at the last elections in 2005, also includes seven Liberal Democrats and comes after MPs from all parties have been discredited by the scandal over the extent of their expense claims exposed last year.
The previous record was in 1997 when a total of 117 MPs choose not to defend their parliamentary seats. This included 73 Conservatives before they were swept from power.