Labour stalwart Peter Hain has announced he is to stand down at the general election.
The former Cabinet Minister and MP for Neath said he has "decided to draw stumps" on his Commons career following a series of discussions with Ed Miliband.
Mr Hain was one of Miliban’s earliest backers in the battle for the job as Labour leader. He has indicated that he may take on a new role away from Westminster.
During his lengthy career, he served in the cabinet under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, with stints as Northern Ireland secretary, Welsh secretary, work and pensions secretary and leader of the Commons.
Mr Hain had been reselected to fight the 2015 election for Neath but said he would now find "new ways" to be involved in politics.
He said: “"Having been reselected last December as Labour candidate for Neath, I was planning to stand again next year," he said. "However, after considerable thought and in discussion with Ed Miliband, leader of the party and for many years my close colleague, I have decided to draw stumps on my House of Commons career.
"I have been in politics for some 50 years, 23 of those in the House; whilst it is my firm intention to remain active in politics, I have decided that it is time to find new ways to represent the new progressive politics to which I and Ed Miliband are committed. It's time for a change.”
Mr Miliband said: "A political activist and campaigner for over 50 years, Peter Hain is one of the most experienced politicians in the House of Commons in which he has served as Member for Neath for nearly a quarter of a century.
"It goes without saying that his integrity, wisdom and firmness in speaking up for those least empowered to speak for themselves, will all be sorely missed. Whether on the backbenches, the front bench or in the Cabinet he has served the Labour Party and the country tirelessly.
Mr Hain was raised in South Africa and first came to public attention as a hardline anti-apartheid campaigner before entering mainstream politics.
He became the MP for Neath in 1991 and has held roles as Secretary of State for Wales, Northern Ireland Secretary and also threw his hat in the ring for leadership in 2007.
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