JOHN Burnett, MP for West Devon and Torridge since 1997, is to quit politics at the next general election.
It is understood his decision to call it a day was made despite pleas from fellow MPs to fight once more. They believed he would have held the seat at the next election.
But Mr Burnett, 57, decided age was against him. If returned to Westminster again he would be in his mid to late 60s at the end of the next parliament.
Mr Burnett, who is the Liberal Democrat shadow attorney general, has at times been a thorn in his party?s side, rebelling against the whip on several occasions.
He said he never wanted to climb the greasy pole of politics: ?I only ever wanted to be MP for West Devon and Torridge where I have lived and worked for almost 30 years.
?It?s been a great honour to be the MP.?
Mr Burnett said the achievement that pleased him most as MP was to have secured funding to improve the fabric of almost every school in the constituency after ?decades of neglect?.
But the most ?terrible? event of his years as MP had been the foot and mouth crisis.
He said: ?It is a tribute to everyone involved in agriculture, tourism and allied industries that they have not only got over the effects of foot and mouth but are now recovering and in some cases prospering, helped by a lower pound and low interest rates.?
A former Royal Marine troop commander who fought insurgents in Borneo in the 1960s, Mr Burnett is one of only a handful of MPs to have seen active service.
He became a lawyer and farmer in West Devon and first fought the constituency in 1987 before winning it ten years later with a majority of almost 2,000. He had inherited a seat in political turmoil after the dramatic defection of the previous MP, Emma Nicholson, from the Tories to the Liberal Democrats.
At the last election, in 2001, fought in the wake of the foot and mouth crisis, Mr Burnett saw off another Conservative challenge. His majority was cut to just under 1,200 but his share of the vote increased slightly.
Later analysis by Liberal Democrat workers showed Mr Burnett?s vote had held up better than that of his fellow party MPs in seats hit by foot and mouth.
During that crisis, Mr Burnett won praise from Dick Eberlie, leader of the Conservative Group on West Devon Borough Council. Cllr Eberlie said local people were ?very grateful? to the MP for the hard work he put in at Government level on behalf of West Devon.
Mr Burnett said the decision to quit was a joint one made with his wife, Billie, who plays a full part in his career, both at Westminster and in the constituency office in Okehampton.
The couple, who have four adult children, are hoping to become grandparents within the next few years. Mr Burnett said on leaving politics he would like to work in the area in law or business.
News of his decision to quit is likely to be welcomed by the Conservatives ? it is thought he had a strong personal vote that attracted support across the political spectrum.
The Liberal Democrats now have up to three years to select a candidate who will fight to retain the seat.
Some local names are being mentioned as possible choices, but many hats are likely to be thrown into the ring.
The final decision will rest with party members in the constituency.