MP Oliver Heald has been dropped in a shadow cabinet reshuffle by Conservative Party leader David Cameron. Mr Heald, the MP for North-east Herts – the constituency covering Royston and Buntingford – had been shadow secretary for constitutional affairs.

MP Oliver Heald has been dropped in a shadow cabinet reshuffle by Conservative Party leader David Cameron.

Mr Heald, the MP for North-east Herts - the constituency covering Royston and Buntingford - had been shadow secretary for constitutional affairs.

He had served as a Tory front bench spokesman in a number of roles for the past 13 years.

Mr Heald said today (Tuesday): "I am delighted to have had 13 years' continuous service on the Conservative front bench.

"I quite understand David Cameron's need to bring on new colleagues," he said.

Mr Heald said he had received many "kind comments" for his work in the shadow cabinet and was adamant that there was "plenty more to do" from the backbenches.

He added: "I have always made North-east my first priority and this will mean that I now have more time for constituency visits."

Mr Heald was elected to Parliament in 1992 and was a junior social security minister in John Major's Conservative government in 1995.

After the 1997 general election, Mr Heald spent a period in the Opposition Whips Office and then became a shadow spokesman on police matters.

He was appointed to the shadow cabinet in November 2002 as shadow minister for work and pensions.

South Cambridgeshire MP Andrew Lansley has remained in the shadow cabinet as shadow health secretary.