MP Sir Alan Haselhurst has written to his own local party to dismiss suggestions he wants to step down.

The 76-year-old insists he wants to stand again for the Saffron Walden constituency at next year’s general election and has rejected suggestions he is too old to continue.

Sir Alan served as Halstead’s MP for 33 years before boundary changes in 2010 and was first elected to Parliament in 1970.

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