Bionic MP Craig Mackinlay Steps Down, Prioritizing Health Over Election Battle

'Cyborg MP' Craig Mackinlay has announced that he will not be running for re-election. The Conservative MP stated that this decision followed considerable personal reflection, despite his desire to remain in his position.

Political correspondent @FayeBrownSky

Friday, May 24, 2024, 2:

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Craig Mackinlay, known as the "bionic MP" after losing his hands and feet to sepsis, has declared that he will not seek re-election in the upcoming general election.

The Tory representative for South Thanet has announced that following considerable contemplation, he has chosen to focus on his health rehabilitation.

Mr. Mackinlay recently resumed his parliamentary duties after enduring a challenging eight-month period, which he described as "eight months of hell." He expressed a desire to continue his role in order to increase awareness about sepsis and to motivate the youth, aspiring to be recognized as the "bionic MP."

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In a Facebook update, Mr. Mackinlay described the election as prompting 36 hours of profound introspection.

"While I feel a deep desire to run for office again, driven by ongoing projects in local development and significant national matters that are close to my heart, I recognize that it's not feasible at the moment.

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"Enduring the challenges of a full-scale election campaign would be tough, a campaign I would always want to spearhead.

"Following my re-election, maintaining the 70 to 80-hour work weeks that I used to before falling ill would be challenging."

Mr. Mackinlay mentioned that he planned to gradually resume his duties at the Commons, as his schedule is presently filled with medical appointments following his departure from in-patient rehabilitation.

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"Final Celebration"

He also mentioned, "I will undergo several more surgeries due to the severe sepsis I experienced, which almost claimed my life.

"I recently began my journey with prosthetics and attend weekly sessions for both physiotherapy and occupational therapy."

Reflecting on his poignant last appearance in parliament, he remarked, "This week's PMQs marked the most unforgettable moment of my tenure as an MP. It was deeply moving and felt almost surreal. It's an experience I will always remember."

"I anticipated this moment as the beginning of my comeback. Instead, it will be marked as my final moment of glory."

He expressed his commitment to further his advocacy efforts to increase awareness about sepsis, especially regarding its initial symptoms.

"If this campaign leads to even one life being saved or prevents any kind of disability like the one I've experienced, it will have been a worthwhile effort.

"I am committed to doing everything within my power to provide amputees with multiple limb losses with the appropriate prosthetics when they need them, so they can resume a life that is as normal as possible."

"Securing a seat in the House of Commons is a unique and esteemed honor."

The announcement arrives merely eight months following Mr. Mackinlay's emergency hospitalization due to sepsis, during which time he was put into a medically induced coma and faced a mere 5% likelihood of surviving.

He is the most recent Member of Parliament to declare that he will not be contesting his position after Mr. Sunak unexpectedly called for an election in July.

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On Friday, Greg Clark, the former business secretary, announced he would not seek re-election in Tunbridge Wells. After serving for 20 years, he stated, "the time is right to pass the baton to someone else."

Following the departure of rail minister Huw Merriman and work and pensions minister Jo Churchill on Thursday, the count of Conservative MPs choosing not to contest their seats has surpassed 75, marking a record high in contemporary political history.

The prior record for the post-war era had 72 Conservative members not seeai-allcreator.com">king reelection before the 1997 vote, a contest overwhelmingly won by Labour under Sir Tony Blair.

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