A former Conservative MP who had announced she was standing down in the December election has caused fury after being selected in a new seat.

Mims Davies was the MP for Eastleigh, a seat previously held by the Liberal Democrats and on their target list for 2019, but announced at the end of October that she would be standing down.

However, she has now been selected as the candidate for Mid Sussex, formerly held by Sir Nicholas Soames, the grandson of Winston Churchill.

The decision to stand in a new seat has been met with some criticism and accusations that she has deserted her constituents.

She tweeted: “Life changes & nobody can ever take anything or anyone for granted.

“Truly gateful [sic] for chance I have. I fought for every vote before & its time to do it again. I simply never thought Lib Dem’s would quite miss me so much-they must be delighted I’m back battling for @Conservative.”

A statement on her website which had explained why she was standing down has since been deleted, and the website has been refocused to her Mid Sussex credentials.

The Daily Echo in Hampshire reported that in her statement she said she was finding it difficult to balance time in parliament with being a single mother to two girls, who were living in Mid Sussex.

But some of her tweets from the time explain: “Very sad shall not be on ballot in #EastleighConstituency on Dec 12th for @Conservatives HUGE HONOUR & TRULY PRIVILEGED to serve. My life has changed & I must now seek different path-truly wrestled with very hard decision for some time & greatly wish our new candidate all success.

“Thanks to all for kindness, support & understanding I’ve had from my team in #HedgeEnd & in #Westminster – thanks to my constituents for the huge opportunity to serve them & I had wished to continue to do this until 2022. Sadly this is not to be & I now must look to a new future.”

After learning of her shortlist for the Mid Sussex seat, Lib Dem council leader in Eastleigh suggested she “did abandon Eastleigh fearing it would be a Lib Dem re-gain”.

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Others responded to the news by saying she had “dumped” or “deserted” Eastleigh.

Ms Davies had been an MP for four years, since 2015, and built up a 14,000 majority. She was previously a councillor in Mid Sussex.

Sir Nicholas had been an MP since 1997, and had a 19,000 majority in the 2017 election. He became a Tory rebel in September when he had the whip removed for voting against Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, but was one of nine of the rebels to have it restored before parliament dissolved for the general election.

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