Cameron to Step Down as Member of Britain’s Parliament

Britain’s former prime minister, David Cameron, announced Monday he is resigning from parliament, ending his political career just weeks after he lost the June 23 referendum to stay in the European Union.

When Cameron, 49, tendered his resignation as prime minister he said he planned to remain in the parliament, although he would no longer have a leadership role in the Conservative Party.

Cameron said he told Prime Minister Theresa May of his decision to stop representing his constituency in Oxfordshire to allow someone else to take the seat, who would possibly concentrate on the area in central England.

He also told the BBC he felt his presence on the “back benches” in parliament could become a distraction for the government.

Cameron’s unexpected announcement is expected to trigger a by-election for his seat in Oxfordshire.