FOR Bolton South East MP Brian Iddon, next Monday is the end of a political road he first started on 13 years ago.

The dissolution of Parliament, ahead of the General Election on May 6, will be the last time Dr Iddon, a retired chemistry lecturer, graces the famous green benches of the House of Commons.

And he admits he is sad to be leaving politics.

Dr Iddon, aged 69, said: “It is always sad to leave somewhere but this is my own decision and it is one which I made a long time ago. I have started clearing the office and my flat.

“My archives on drug misuse and euthanasia are being handed over to the Wellcome Trust archives so I have been busy boxing all that up which will clear a big space.

“I’ll then be heading back up North and taking a holiday in Gran Canaria, where we’re due to have another grandchild born later in the year.”

Looking ahead to the election campaign, which has intensified over the last couple of weeks, Dr Iddon says he expects a tough fight for Labour.

“I think this campaign is going to be a dirty campaign and a bit of a slugging match,” he said. “The polls are all over the place, but there are a lot of people who don’t want Labour to have a fourth term.”

Yasmin Qureshi is to fight the Bolton South East seat for Labour and Dr Iddon says he will be taking a back seat.

But he added: “I will help Yasmin out and I have offered to take her around with me to the Labour clubs so I can thank members for their support over the last 13 years and ask them to vote for Yasmin as my replacement.

“But I am going to stay away from the doorsteps because I think it will just confuse people.”

Before Parliament is dissolved next Monday, Dr Iddon’s private members bill — The Mortgage Repossession (Protection of Tenants) Bill — will become an act of law.

He was picked at number one in the members’ ballot in November and the Bill will protect private tenants from losing their homes if their landlord defaults on the mortgage and their home is repossessed.

Dr Iddon said: “We have worked very hard on the bill and it will be the third one I have managed to get into an act of law, so I am very proud of that achievement.”