DUDLEY South MP Chris Kelly has revealed more details about his decision to quit parliament at the next general election.

Mr Kelly, heir to his father’s multi-million pound truck dealership Keltruck, says he is finding it increasingly difficult to maintain his work/life balance.

The Conservative euro-sceptic, who has been romantically linked with Tory MP Nadine Dorries’s daughter Philippa, robustly denied speculation he intends to join UKIP.

Mr Kelly said: “It’s been a huge honour to be an MP for a seat in the Black Country — a place where I was born and brought up.

“Having the chance to vote in the Commons on issues I care about — such as our future relationship with the European Union or tackling scrap metal theft — and represent the people of Dudley South in parliament has been a huge privilege.

“However, I have found it increasingly difficult to find the right balance between my work and my personal and family life — the unpredictability of business timetabled in the Commons combined with driving back and forth between the West Midlands and London has meant that I haven’t been able to see those close to me as often as I’d like.

“That’s why I’m stepping down — I’ve seen too many friends’ relationships fail in parliament and I don’t want the same thing to happen to me.

“I’ve been a Conservative for almost 20 years and will remain so. I’ll be working hard to ensure the new Conservative candidate is elected the next Member of Parliament for Dudley South in May 2015.

“I have several other friends who have left the Conservative Party for UKIP in recent years. Some of them have then gone on to ask me to join them.

“Each time I have said no — and asked them to re-join us. There have been no negotiations about defecting. I have never met, or ever spoken to, Nigel Farage.”

The Dudley South Conservative Association has begun the process of selecting a candidate for next year’s election however one politician being tipped to stand has ruled himself out.

Former Dudley Conservative leader Cllr Les Jones told the News he will not be putting himself forward to fight the seat.