Francis Maude, head of the government department with responsibility for charities, has announced that he will not be standing at the next general election.

Maude, the Conservative MP for Horsham and Minister for the Cabinet Office, said in his letter of resignation that he was proud of “driving a program which saved taxpayers £14.3bn in the last year alone.”

Maude championed a programme to spin out government services into the not-for-profit sector, however his focus during his tenure has been on civil service reform and efficiency, rather than the charity sector.

Maude's recent decision to re-appoint William Shawcross as the chair of the Charity Commission to a further three-term was also criticised by Acevo as being “nine months early”.  

His decision brings to an end a 27-year career as a member of parliament.