Asked whether he had made this decision because he was afraid of losing, he said: “No. The seat has changed dramatically.

“It’s a case of looking at where you’re aligned and where your ties are and putting yourself forward when you feel that passion for that area.

“When the constituencies change so drastically it’s natural for every candidate to look and say ‘is this new seat the right seat for me?’

“In my case it isn’t and it’s right and proper that the party selects someone who is connected with the new seat and can take the campaign forward.”

Asked if he was looking for a seat in another part of the country, he said: “I am actively seeking a seat elsewhere but I’m doing so with a sense of humour and a philosophical view, shall we say.”

Mr Wallis was the first MP to say publicly that he had gender dysphoria and is in the process of transitioning.