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| David Cameron |
The ex-PM has revealed he's shortly to be an ex-MP just months after saying he'd stay on as a backbencher
The Witney MP quit 10 Downing Street - which he also swore he wouldn't do - on June 24 after a humiliating finish on the losing side of the EU referendum.
At the time he vowed: "I will continue with my duties as the MP for Witney. It is an enormous privilege to serve the people of West Oxfordshire."
But today he warned it was "very difficult to sit as a backbencher and not be an enormous diversion and distraction from what the government's doing."
Asked about Mrs May he said he would obviously disagree on some issues but "I support her, I support what she's doing, she's got off to a cracking start."
Mr Cameron said he was going to "go on living locally" and "start to build a life outside Westminster".
He added: "I'm only 49. I hope I can still contribute in terms of public service and in terms of service to my country."
He insisted he had no future plans adding: "The only firm decision I've made is to leave the House of Commons and stop being an MP."
Mr Cameron has been MP for Witney in Oxfordshire since 2001, and was elected Tory leader in 2005 and Prime Minister in 2010.
He announced his resignation as PM on June 24, the morning after he learned he had been on the losing side of the EU referendum .
Today's revelation was made in an interview with ITV News deputy political editor Chris Ship.
Mr Cameron repeatedly refused to say he would back Theresa May's controversial pledge to build new grammar schools.
He said: "I think there's very many good things in the policy" but added: "Frankly I don't want to get into the wheres and whyfores of this particular policy."
In a statement, Mr Cameron said: "Having fully considered my position over the summer, I have decided that I am going to stand down as the Member of Parliament for Witney.
"There will now be a by-election and I will do everything that I can to help the Conservative candidate win that election.
"In my view, the circumstances of my resignation as Prime Minister and the realities of modern politics make it very difficult to continue on the backbenches without the risk of becoming a diversion to the important decisions that lie ahead for my successor in Downing Street and the Government.
"I fully support Theresa May and have every confidence that Britain will thrive under her strong leadership."
Prime Minister Theresa May said: "I was proud to serve in David Cameron’s Government – and under his leadership we achieved great things.